Eberle Speaker Series: Michael Scott Smith, COO Make-A-Wish North Texas
2025-04-10 19:00 - 21:30 (America/Chicago) | Jaenke Alumni Center, 700 College Avenue, Carlinville, IL, 62626, United States
Blackburn College will host Michael Scott Smith, Chief Operating Officer at Make-A-Wish North Texas. This event, part of the Kathleen J. Eberle Memorial Lecture Series in the Social Sciences, will be held on Thursday, April 10, at 7:00 pm in Jaenke Alumni Center. It is free and open to the public.
As the Chief Operating Officer at Make-A-Wish North Texas, Smith brings a wealth of experience and a deep commitment to making a difference in the non-profit sector. With over 35 years of professional experience in various roles, Smith’s journey to the COO position at Make-A-Wish North Texas reflects his dedication to utilizing his skills and expertise to create a meaningful impact.
Smith’s career path began in the traditional business world, where he honed his skills in areas such as systems integration, process improvement, and software development. He served diverse companies and clients, including Royal Appliance/Dirt Devil, the U.S. Department of Defense, and Southwest Airlines. During his tenure at EDS and HP, he successfully led large projects and diverse teams, driving tangible business outcomes for clients.
However, Smith’s true passion extends beyond business objectives. He found fulfillment in driving employee and community engagement within the organizations he served, and through volunteering with organizations like Make-A-Wish and Big Brothers Big Sisters. His dedication to innovation, business transformation, strategy development and community engagement reflect his commitment to fostering collaboration to create positive change.
In his current role as COO of Make-A-Wish North Texas, Smith is instrumental in driving the organization’s mission of granting life-changing wishes to children with critical illnesses. His leadership, coupled with his passion for community engagement, ensures that Make-A-Wish North Texas continues to make a significant impact in the lives of children and their families.
This event at Blackburn College is funded through the Kathleen J. Eberle Memorial Lecture Series in the Social Sciences, an endowed fund established to bring guest lecturers and speakers to campus who will inspire, engage, and inform students, faculty, and the community in the area of social sciences, with a focus on social justice issues.

Last day of early registration for Fall 2025 semester
2025-04-11

Science Day 2025
2025-04-11 | Mahan Science Building
Blackburn College is thrilled to announce the 36th Annual Science Day is scheduled for Friday, April 11, 2025. One of the College’s most celebrated traditions, Science Day welcomes high school students from across the region to the Blackburn campus for a day of hands-on science, dynamic demonstrations, and scholarship opportunities.
Coordinated entirely by Blackburn science student workers as part of the College’s nationally recognized Work Program, in addition to numerous student, staff and faculty volunteers, Science Day is an event unlike any other. Last year, the event welcomed more than 200 regional students and teachers, awarding scholarships to top participants and their high schools. This year’s event aims to inspire even more students to explore science and discover exciting future career paths.
“Science Day is an amazing experience for all involved,” said senior Alexia Mosby, who is co-coordinating the 2025 event. “My favorite part of planning the event is watching the high school students reap the benefits of our efforts. Blackburn’s Science Day gives high school students an opportunity to learn about science by engaging students with unique demonstrations conducted by Blackburn students and professors. Not only do the visiting high school students benefit, volunteers and workers of Science Day benefit by planning and running the event all on their own, which truly exemplifies Blackburn as a unique student managed work college.”
Science Day starts with a friendly competition in biology, chemistry, physics, and psychology. Awards are given to individual students as well as high schools with top-performing teams in each category. Throughout the day, Blackburn students, staff and faculty will lead engaging activities, including:
Witnessing exciting chemical reactions and even explosions
Exploring animal and reptile care in Blackburn’s Vivarium
Diving into fields like computer science, physics, and psychology fields through hands-on experiments and demonstrations
“Science Day is an amazing experience for the biology workers running it and the high school students who are participating,” said senior Jessica Muckensturm, who is also helping coordinate Science Day this year. “My favorite part of the day is watching all of the high school students get involved in the demos and get excited about the different aspects of science. We will continue working to make Science Day better every year!”
Schools and educators interested in attending are encouraged to contact Mosby and Muckensturm, Science Day coordinators, at biology@blackburn.edu for additional details, including an event schedule and registration forms.

Admitted Student Day
2025-04-12 08:00 - 17:00
Admitted Student Day – Save the date, Apr 12, 2025!
A day to step into the shoes of a Blackburn College student. Our accepted students will be able to participate in a student service project while Beaver Nation’s parents are able to attend several informational panels and ask questions of our community. In addition to the fun activites for the day, students who have submitted their tuition deposit, will be able to be in the first group to register for classes!

Spectrum's Annual Drag Show
2025-04-12 18:30 | Bothwell Auditorium at Blackburn College, 700 College Avenue, Carlinville, IL, 62626, United States
Please join us on Saturday, April 12th at 7:00 PM in Bothwell Auditorium for our Annual Drag Show! Doors open at 6:30 PM, with a cash bar and photo booth available. Tickets are $5 for Blackburn students, faculty, and staff with school IDs. Outside tickets are $10. If you have any questions please email spectrum@blackburn.edu!

Faculty Assembly
2025-04-17 16:00 - 17:30

Faculty vs Staff Mac & Cheese Cook Off
2025-04-17 17:00 | Demuzio Center Blackburn College, 700 College Ave., Carlinville, Illinois, 62626
A Faculty vs Staff Mac & Cheese Cook Off will occur inside DCC on Thursday, April 17, at 5:00 p.m. The office of Student Life will work to promote this event to students and make sure they know it is going on. If you want to get involved but don’t know how or aren’t the best chef – some examples of what to donate are as follows: Bowls and Cups, Utensils and Forks or Spoons. The winner will receive the golden spoon. Please send all questions and concerns, or even brainstorms, to alia.stewart@blackburn.edu
Please use the following form to sign up for the Blackburn Faculty & Staff Mac & Cheese (Cook-Off) for BC students: https://forms.gle/so2HXAGMCnLGLEEb8

Good Friday Observed
2025-04-18
Administrative and Academic Offices Closed; No Classes Held

Easter Monday Observed
2025-04-21

Last day to withdraw passing from a class
2025-04-25

Honors Night
2025-04-28 18:30 | Bothwell Auditorium at Blackburn College, 700 College Avenue, Carlinville, IL, 62626, United States
Honors Night Ceremony
April 28 at 6:30 pm
Bothwell Auditorium
Faculty, Staff and Students – Please join us!

Student Worker Appreciation Day
2025-04-29
Administrative and Academic
Offices Open; No Classes Held; Founder’s Day celebration

Choir Concert: Schubert’s Mass in G Major
2025-05-04 14:00 | Bothwell Auditorium at Blackburn College, 700 College Avenue, Carlinville, IL, 62626, United States
The season concludes with a significant choral event as Blackburn College’s three choirs—College Choir, Conservatory Choir, and Community Choir—join forces to perform Schubert’s Mass in G Major.
This concert represents the culmination of the Music program’s renewed commitment to fostering community connections. With funding from the Illinois Arts Council, Blackburn launched the Conservatory Choir in the fall, offering high school students from districts without music programs a choral experience. Additionally, the College reintroduced the Community Choir, a reimagined version of the previously established community ensemble that had been inactive since the pandemic. While each choir performed separately last semester, this concert marks the first time all three ensembles will unite for a major work.
Adding to the evening’s significance, Blackburn’s music majors will premiere their original compositions, developed through mentorship with award-winning Nashville songwriter Dr. Kim McLean. Students composed and arranged their works for choir and orchestra, and each will perform as the soloist on their piece—an unparalleled opportunity to gain real-world experience in songwriting and performance.
For additional details, ticket reservations, or inquiries, please contact music@blackburn.edu.

Study Day
2025-05-05
Administrative and Academic Offices Open; No
Classes Held

Education Research Poster Presentations
2025-05-05 17:00 - 18:30 | Woodson Hall
Blackburn College Education majors will be presenting their research projects through a poster presentation on May 5, 2025 at 5:00pm in Woodson A. There will be six presenters spread throughout the room and attendees will be able to walk between the presentations and learn about the students’ research projects. The presentations will close at 6:30pm.

Double Instruction Period - Spring 2025
2025-05-06 - 2025-05-09
DIPS May 2025 (PDF)
May 6 – 9, 2025

If your class meets on . . .
Your final class meeting is
At this time

Monday @ 8:00 a.m.
Thursday, May 8
10:00 a.m. – 11:50 a.m.

Monday @ 9:00 a.m.
Wednesday, May 7
3:00 p.m. – 4:50 p.m.

Monday @ 10:00 a.m.
Friday, May 9
8:00 a.m. – 9:50 a.m.

Monday @ 11:00 a.m.
Thursday, May 8
8:00 a.m. – 9:50 a.m.

Monday @ 12:00 p.m.
Tuesday, May 6
1:00 p.m. – 2:50 p.m.

Monday @ 1:00 p.m.
Wednesday, May 7
1:00 p.m. – 2:50 p.m.

Monday @ 2:00 p.m.
Tuesday, May 6
10:00 a.m. – 11:50 a.m.

Monday @ 3:00 p.m.
Wednesday, May 7
10:00 a.m. – 11:50 a.m.

Tuesday @ 8:00 a.m.
Thursday, May 8
1:00 p.m. – 2:50 p.m.

Tuesday @ 9:30 a.m.
Wednesday, May 7
8:00 a.m. – 9:50 a.m.

Tuesday @ 11:00 a.m.
Tuesday, May 6
8:00 a.m. – 9:50 a.m.

Tuesday @ 1:00 p.m.
Friday, May 9
10:00 a.m. – 11:50 a.m.

Tuesday @ 2:30 p.m.
Thursday, May 8
3:00 p.m. – 4:50 p.m.

Tuesday Night Classes
Tuesday, May 6
7:00 p.m. – 8:50 p.m.

ALL DOUBLE INSTRUCTION PERIODS ARE SCHEDULED FOR THE REGULAR CLASSROOM.
ALL SENIOR FINAL GRADES ARE DUE BY 9:00 A.M. ON TUESDAY, MAY 13, 2025.
All remaining final grades are due by 12:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 14, 2025
ANY CHANGES TO THIS SCHEDULE MUST BE APPROVED BY THE PROVOST.

Course instruction ends
2025-05-09

Final grade rosters due by 1:00 pm
2025-05-12

Giving Days 2025: A Week of Help + Hope
2025-05-12 - 2025-05-15
Blackburn College Giving Day: A Week of Help + Hope is underway! Rally your classmates, family, and friends to come together to make a profound difference in the lives of our students and our College.
Your generous, steadfast support is something we depend on year after year! All gifts of all sizes will transform lives of Blackburn students and inspire hope for the future.
Learn more about Giving Day and A Week of Help + Hope >

Giving Day 2025
2025-05-16
What is Giving Day?
The purpose of Giving Day is to engage our community to advance the mission of the College while raising critical funding for student needs.
Giving Day is Blackburn’s largest fundraising event, when people around the world come together to celebrate and support what they love about the College.
Giving Day is an opportunity to show your love to Blackburn! Alumni, students, faculty, staff, and friends of Blackburn are encouraged to participate. Your donations to Blackburn College can support scholarships, student services, enhanced academic programs and MUCH MORE!
Make a gift anytime during the week of May 12-16 and be an IMPACTFUL part of our Week of Help + Hope!

Learn more about Giving Day and our Week of Help + Hope >

Class of 2025 - Senior Send-Off
2025-05-16 17:00 - 19:00 | Jaenke Alumni Center, 700 College Avenue, Carlinville, IL, 62626, United States
We regret to inform you that due to low registration and lack of interest, the 2025 Senior Send-Off has been canceled.
While we were looking forward to celebrating with you and honoring your journey at Blackburn, we unfortunately did not receive enough responses to move forward with the event.
We understand this may come as a disappointment, but we hope you continue to find meaningful ways to celebrate your accomplishments with those who have supported you throughout your time here.
If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out.
Please contact Alisha Kapp for more information.
Wishing you all the best as you prepare for graduation and the next chapter ahead.

Senior Convocation
2025-05-16 19:00 - 21:00 | Bothwell Auditorium at Blackburn College, 700 College Avenue, Carlinville, IL, 62626, United States
Friday, May 16, at 7:00 pm (Bothwell Auditorium)
Senior Convocation is a student-focused celebration for the graduates, their friends and families. Students, faculty, and staff will attend without formal regalia. Graduates will process and sit with their classmates.
Learn more about Graduation >

156th Annual Commencement
2025-05-17 10:30 - 12:00 | Hudson Quad
Commencement – Saturday, May 17, at 10:30 am (Hudson Quad)
View the digital program – Class of 2025 Commencement Program
Learn more about Graduation >

Administrative and Academic Offices Closed
2025-05-19

New Student Orientation
2025-07-12 08:00 - 17:00

Blackburn Athletic Center - Open House
2025-07-26 10:00 - 14:00 | Blackburn Athletic Center
You’re invited to the Blackburn Athletic Center Open House Saturday, July 26, from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm.
We welcome the community to explore our state-of-the-art facility, meet members of our athletic department, and learn more about the vision behind this transformational addition to campus. Tours and light refreshments will be available throughout the event.
Whether you’re a proud alum, a community neighbor, or a future student, we hope you’ll join us in celebrating this exciting milestone.
Please see the attached invitation for full details—we hope to see you there!

Week of Welcome - Aug 25-29
2025-08-25 - 2025-08-29
Week of Welcome
Orientation and work training for all new students
LD 170 students
Work training for returning students
Academic advising

First Day of Semester-Long Classes
2025-09-02 08:00 - 16:00

All College Convocation
2025-09-02 16:00 - 17:00 | Bothwell Auditorium at Blackburn College, 700 College Avenue, Carlinville, IL, 62626, United States

Opening Reception: Jeff Vaughn's "Elements of Stone and Water"
2025-09-05 16:00 - 18:00 | Sharon K. Sandfort Art Gallery – Visual Arts Center
Opening reception featuring Jeff Vaughn’s paintings, drawings and photography. This artist captures the feeling of stone and water in all mediums. A fitting way to relax after the first week of classes.
Opening Reception for artist Jeff Vaughn
Sharon K Sandfort Gallery In The Visual Arts Center
Friday, September 5 – 4:00 pm
Contact Professor Jody Jedlicka for more information.
