Seen, Read and Heard
What do a country music megastar, two politicians and four books by faculty have in common? They’re all part of daily life on Bradley’s campus.

12/02/2022 12:04 AM
This Son of a Peanut Farmer Wants to Shell Out

Following a Chillicothe night nobody wanted to end along the Luke Bryan Farm Tour, the country music megastar brought his agriculture scholarship to Bradley. Providing aid to students at local colleges and universities at every stop on the tour since 2009, four Bradley students with backgrounds in agriculture or farming will receive a onetime $2,000 scholarship. So get your boots on, kick the dust up, and celebrate our students keeping their country on.
Bustos and Durbin Visit Campus

Bradley University presented retiring U.S. Representative Cheri Bustos with an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters this April following her long career upholding the bipartisanship and grace the Institute for Principled Leadership in Public Service (IPL) aims to endorse.
Celebrating IPL’s 15th anniversary as they honored Bustos were figures spanning both sides of the political spectrum, including Peoria Mayor Rita Bryant Ali M.A. ’92 and former Mayor Jim Ardis, the Honorable Ray LaHood ’71, HON ’11, as well as Congressman Darin LaHood and Senator Dick Durbin by video. Durbin joined Bradley President Stephen Standifird and other distinguished guests a few days earlier to announce the passage of the fiscal year 2022 appropriations bill, including $850,000 secured to enhance Bradley’s nursing program.
Faculty Authors Delve into Social Issues

“Social TV: Multiscreen Content and Ephemeral Culture”
– Cory Barker, assistant professor of journalism
Barker explores how the television industry failed to take advantage of the social media
revolution and is now playing catch-up to disruptors.

“Luke’s Jewish Eschatology: The National Restoration of Israel in Luke-Acts”
– Isaac W. Oliver / de Oliveira, associate professor of philosophy and religious studies
Oliver delivers a key volume that greatly contributes to discourse around New Testament studies, Jewish and early Christianity history.

“Testimonios LGBTIQ+ de Panamá”
– Juan Ríos Vega, associate professor of education, counseling and leadership
Ríos presents the narratives of multiple LGBTIQ+ generations from Panama, including stories of struggles and resilience from individuals who have learned to navigate and survive in a society full of prejudice.

“Ruby visita el Museo Afroantillano de Panamá: Ruby visits the Afro-Caribbean Museum of Panama
– Juan Ríos Vega and Melva Lowe de Goodin
A wonderful, richly illustrated (by co-author Ríos) book that depicts the titular character’s
pride upon learning of her ancestors’ contributions to the history of Panama.