CHICAGO – The University of Illinois system kicked off a three-day outreach tour Tuesday at Homewood-Flossmoor Community High School, with top officials meeting students to promote the university and address concerns of potential students.

“We take great pride in offering an amazing education at an affordable price,” University of Illinois Chancellor Robert Jones said, as he led a delegation that included leaders from all three campuses.

The visit marked the first stop in a statewide tour aimed at encouraging students to apply to the university system.

During the event, senior Ahmad Powell posed a question to the university officials, asking, “Based off of all the experiences you’ve had with students from your schools, what’s a key pivotal thing that students should invest their time in?”

Chancellor Jones responded that the tour serves two purposes: listening and recruiting. He urged students to consider attending one of the University of Illinois campuses, emphasizing their hard work and academic potential.

This is the fourth year of the university’s outreach tour, which stops at high schools and businesses throughout Illinois. The goal is to connect with students, educators, and potential partners while addressing concerns about the perceived cost of attending the university.

University of Illinois President Timothy L. Killeen emphasized that the university has taken steps to keep education affordable.

“We’ve kept our costs down in a draconian fashion the last few years,” Killeen said. “Eight of the last 10 years, we’ve frozen tuition. We’ve added more financial aid.”

Homewood-Flossmoor Superintendent Scott Waleley echoed the importance of making students feel wanted.

“Even though they’re academically talented, they want to go somewhere where they feel wanted,” he said.

For some students, the university’s outreach efforts have already worked. Senior Cameron Brooks, who has committed to the University of Illinois football program, said, “I thought it was a great university, a beautiful campus, somewhere I can grow as a person and come out better than I came in.”

The University of Illinois tour will continue Wednesday with a stop at West Leyden High School in Northlake.

News

Illinois corn maturing ahead of pace

The USDA says the Illinois corn crop is maturing ahead of pace.

Gallatin County farmer Jeff Scates says his early harvest results are below expectations.

“Not quite as good as we had hoped for on the corn front.”  He says, “We also have cut some beans and we’re kind of up and down a little bit there too. They’ve tended to be drier as well as we get into them.”

The latest weekly crop progress and condition report shows 24% of the corn crop is mature, 13% ahead of normal.  Scates tells Brownfield moisture would still help the late planted crops.

“June corn still has a lot of green in it.”  He says, “It still has a lot of growing to do, at least filling out the kernels. It would definitely help that out a lot.”

The corn crop remains in good condition with 71% rated good to excellent.  Seventy percent is dented compared to 63% normally. 

Sixty eight percent of soybeans are in good to excellent condition and 14% are dropping leaves, which is 11% ahead of average.

Pasture conditions are 52% good to excellent.

Thirty one percent of Illinois topsoil moistures are rated short or very short, while only 2% are rated surplus.

To help relieve the financial burden on Illinois families, Aetna Better Health of Illinois, a CVS Health company, has donated more than $72,000 to support back-to-school initiatives and 24,000-plus school supplies to community organizations throughout Illinois.

By collaborating with community partners, Aetna supplied thousands of children in need with backpacks, pencils, pens, folders, notebooks, crayons and color pencils. This funding will help alleviate some of the financial challenges students and their families face on a day-to-day basis. Almost 40% of shoppers report trimming their budgets in other areas to afford the higher costs for back-to-school supplies.

“We look forward each year to partnering with schools and community organizations across the state to help parents and students get ready for the new school year,” said Rushil Desai, CEO of Aetna Better Health of Illinois. 

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Desai added, “We provide school supplies and education on resources available to them in their communities to make their lives a bit easier this time of year. Aetna is committed to building healthier communities and we understand wellness extends beyond physical health. That’s why this school year we’ve joined forces with new partners to offer digital behavioral health platforms to provide students with not only school supplies, but online support to help them excel in and outside of the classroom.”

Aetna has hosted and participated in more than 35 back-to-school events across the state. Among the recipients of the donations and sponsorships include:

• Back 2 School Alliance
• Chicago Defender’s Bud Billiken Parade
• Chicago Public Schools
• In His Hands Resource Center
• TCA Health
• The Kindness Campaign
• Youth Hope

[Read more: CVS Health’s Aetna to expand access to fertility services]

In addition to these community donations and initiatives, Aetna Better Health of Illinois offers free school clothes to help members.