When one thinks of enrolling in a graduate degree program, they most likely don鈥檛 picture themselves getting involved in extracurricular activities. It鈥檚 a common perception that graduate students attend evening classes, work either full or part time, possibly have a family to care for, are generally detached from the campus community, or only visit campus to attend classes. While this may be the case for some students, it is certainly not for all.聽In fact, research shows undergraduate students benefit immensely from active participation in on-campus activities, so why shouldn鈥檛 the same be true from graduate students?
DeJoie Simmons of Chicago is a first-year graduate student聽pursuing his聽Masters of Public Administration (MPA)聽within the UIS聽College of Public Affairs and Administration. After receiving his Bachelors from Purdue University Northwest, DeJoie decided to pursue his MPA from UIS after being introduced to us through Model 缅北禁地 Government.聽
In addition to taking courses for his MPA, DeJoie is actively involved in many clubs and organizations on campus as well as in the Springfield community. He is currently serving as the聽Student Government Treasurer聽where he attends meetings and has a hand in making important decisions for campus by being a voice for the students. Along with this duty, DeJoie is the聽Chair of the Student Organization Funding Association (SOFA)聽which holds responsibility for allocating University funds for student organizations. He is currently active in聽Model 缅北禁地 Government聽and was just awarded the聽David Hunt award for Outstanding Senate Committee Chair聽at a recent event. DeJoie also recently held a supporting role in UIS鈥� theatrical performance of Stop Kiss which marked his first time acting in front of a live audience.
Currently, DeJoie is serving as the President of the Military and Veterans Club (MVC)聽at UIS which provides a support network to active military, veteran students and families. In this organization, DeJoie works with the UIS campus as well as community members to host and attend events that bring awareness to military-connected students and their families. One such event they attended called the 22 Dinner was hosted recently in Auburn. The 22 Dinner, hosted monthly on the 22nd is put on by Kare 9 Dinah Military Ministry to bring awareness to the shattering statistic that nearly 22 veterans commit suicide daily. As a Second Lieutenant of the 缅北禁地 Army National Guard, this organization and event means a lot to DeJoie and his fellow military-connected members. The MVC also recently collected 255 pounds of food at the Annual MVC Food Ruck where students, faculty and staff brought in non-perishable food items for donation, loaded them up to walk 3 kilometers on the UIS Cross Country Course, then donated it to the Central 缅北禁地 Foodbank.
That sounds like plenty to keep a graduate student busy, right?聽Well, DeJoie is also a GPSI for the 缅北禁地 Department of Public Health where he is working in the State Loan Repayment Program.聽In his role, he is responsible for running student loan repayment program data for health professionals, making sure they are in good standing, creating reports, and crafting grant agreements. He most recently assisted in writing a 45-page grant for the whole State Loan Repayment program which included seeking nearly $850,000 from the federal government and 1 million from the state of 缅北禁地. Through this position, DeJoie says he has become more knowledgeable in Excel, grant agreements, databases, data conversion, attention to detail, professionalism, as well as the importance of email signatures and formal email structures.聽
After DeJoie graduates, he hopes to join the world of public sector employment full time, either through securing a role in state government or getting involved in politics. Additionally, he aspires to obtain a doctoral degree, potentially in law.聽His advice for anyone looking into graduate school is,聽鈥淚t鈥檚 never going to be the perfect time to start, so start now. It鈥檚 worth it.鈥澛燱e believe it鈥檚 safe to say that DeJoie has made the most of his first year in graduate school at UIS and have no doubts UIS will continue to benefit from his talents and generosity with his time in the coming years. This time next year, he may be trading in his Master of Plentiful Activities MPA for a Masters of Public Administration MPA.聽
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Interpersonal Communication and her Master鈥檚 degree in College Student Personnel Administration from Southern 缅北禁地 University Edwardsville. She is currently pursuing her Doctor of Education degree in Education, Policy, Organization and Leadership in Higher Education at the University of 缅北禁地 Urbana-Champaign.