U of I student nominated for two Grammys

• University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Sophia Byrd, a senior at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, has been nominated for two Grammy Awards.

Byrd had the opportunity to sing in a professional oratorio as a college freshman and is now studying lyric theatre. She was one of six vocalists who performed in “Place,” a 2018 work that explores the effects of gentrification in a Brooklyn neighborhood. “Place” is nominated for best chamber music/small ensemble performance and best contemporary classical composition.

Read more …

Illinois hospitals ranked among top 100 hospitals worldwide!

• Chicago
• Illinois
• Hospitals
• World's Best Hospitals
• Northwestern Memorial Hospital

Several Illinois hospitals took top rankings in Newsweek’s annual list of the top 200 hospitals in the world. Illinois’ top hospitals in 2021 are Northwestern Memorial Hospital (58), Rush University Medical Center (75), and the University of Chicago Medical Center (101-200).

Read more …

Journey virtually into a historic landmark

• Museum
• Tours
• Museums
• Dana Thomas House
• Virtual

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources is offering virtual tours of the Dana Thomas House historic site in Springfield. Designed by famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright, the house is thought to have one of the most intact interiors designed by Wright in the United States. Take a fun and informative journey through a piece of American history.

Read more …

Volition Entertainment: Champaign’s hometown video game developer

• Employment
• Champaign
• Video games
• Saints Row

Making video games is a popular hobby, and it provides artists a chance to showcase their incredible talent. Champaign plays host to Volition Entertainment, formerly known as Parallax Software. The company has been around since the early ‘90s and is a source of pride in Champaign. It employs roughly 200 people and is still going strong.

Read more …