Lindenwood students (and you) can get a taste of Starbucks on campus

Lindenwood University-Belleville students can now enjoy Starbucks coffee and a meal outdoor at a newly renovated café, which includes a new outdoor seating area and patio.

Matt’s Café serves Starbucks, made-to-order sandwiches, salads and pizza. The café will stay open until 11 p.m. each day, and the patio will remain open 24 hours a day.

Brett Barger, campus president, will join Britt Hunt, president and CEO of St. Louis-based Pedestal Foods, in cutting a ribbon to re-open the café and welcome students as they begin the new semester at 2 p.m. Thursday at Matt’s Café, 2600 W. Main St. in Belleville.

Lindenwood spokeswoman Jennifer Ferguson said students started the fall semester Monday, and the café is offering limited options until the grand opening.

She said the café has been renovated to meet the needs of faculty, students and staff, but it’s open to the public as well. Lindewood is also considering hosting community events in the space, according to Ferguson.

SIUE to compete in Outdoor Nation Campus Challenge

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is one of 90 universities nationwide chosen to participate in the 2016 Outdoor Nation Campus Challenge.

The challenge is coordinated by Campus Recreation, and gives SIUE students, faculty, staff and surrounding community members an opportunity to earn points for completing certain activities, win prizes and enjoy healthy activities. Activities range from biking, outdoor climbing and adventure racing to restoration and trail maintenance, stargazing, yoga and geocaching.

Outdoor Nation anticipates approximately 35,000 participants nationwide. Pre-registration began Monday, and the challenge runs Sept. 4-Oct. 15.

“This is a great way to get individuals actively engaged in outdoor activity,” said Emma Delmontagne, graduate assistant in Campus Recreation. “Participants will earn points based on the type of activity they do. They must snap a picture of themselves participating in the activity, and submit it online or through the mobile app. We’re encouraging people to include #SIUEisON with their photos. Up to five activities can be submitted per day.”

Campus Recreation will host special events as part of the challenge, such as geocaching – basically, a digital treasure hunt using GPS to find containers – each Friday, a guided bike ride to Annie’s Custard and stand-up paddleboard yoga through a collaboration with a St. Louis company.

Participants will be entered to win giveaways throughout the challenge, and three grand prize winners will be named Campus Challenge National Champion, Most Outdoorsy Person and Outsider of the Year.

Interested students, faculty, staff and community members can register online at Oncampuschallenge.com or through the free mobile app.

Immigration reform activist to speak at McKendree

Cesar Vargas, an immigration reform activist and founder of the Dream Action Coalition, will open McKendree University’s 2016-2017 Chapel Series at noon on Sept. 13. The public is welcome to attend at the Hettenhausen Center for the Arts on campus.

At age 5, Vargas crossed the border with his family from Tijuana, Mexico into San Diego. He grew up in New York and went on to become the first undocumented person granted permission to practice law in New York state. Named one of the “top 40 Under 40 Latinos in American Politics,” he is a Latino outreach strategist for Sen. Bernie Sanders.

Future guest speakers at Bothwell Chapel on campus will include the following:

▪  10 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 16: Rev. Robert Dillingham, pastor of Farina United Methodist Church and a McKendree graduate, will talk about relationships.

▪  noon Friday, Dec. 9: Hospitality is the theme of the holiday season’s Lessons and Carols Service with Rev. Don Long, Jr., of O’Fallon United Methodist Church, who has served in the ministry for nearly 30 years.

▪  4 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 26: Rev. Traci Blackmon will be the keynote speaker at the annual Christian Unity and Martin Luther King Service.

▪  5 p.m. Wednesday, April 5: A Jewish Seder Meal, a ritual feast that marks the beginning of Passover, will be served in the chapel’s Circuit Riders room.

▪  noon Wednesday, April 26: John Greenfield, professor of English, will reflect on his 32-year teaching career at McKendree as he prepares to retire in 2017.

SWIC to host Kashmir Dash 5K Run/Walk

Southwestern Illinois College is hosting the Kashmir Dash — 5K Run/Walk on Friday, Oct. 21 at the Belleville Campus, 2500 Carlyle Ave.

This race will begin at 5:30 p.m. in the Quad. Registration and packet pickup will run from 2-5 p.m. in the Varsity Gym Lobby. Runners can also stop by to register or pick up their packet from 2-5 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 20 in the Varsity Gym Lobby.

The entry fee is $25 before race day, or $30 on the day of the race. All runners will receive a pair of tech gloves. Awards will be given to the top three runners in each age division. All proceeds will benefit SWIC Athletics.

To register online, visit thankyou.swic.edu/5k or call 618-235-2700, ext. 5663 for more information.

This story was originally published August 23, 2016 at 10:48 AM with the headline "Lindenwood students (and you) can get a taste of Starbucks on campus."