Redbird Buzz

Erica Lauren Maholmes, M.F.A. ’22

Erica Lauren Maholmes, M.F.A. ’22, did not originally envision herself doing behind-the-scenes work in theater, but through her experience in the Wonsook Kim College of Fine Arts and School of Theatre, Dance, and Film, she discovered a passion for lighting design. Maholmes' work as a lighting designer and master electrician has taken her to stages across the country, including Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Alley Theatre, and Trinity Repertory Company. She made her Broadway debut in 2024 as an associate lighting designer for The Notebook. Maholmes has also worked within the theatre industry to end racial inequities and create opportunities for lighting designers who are people of color. Maholmes was named the 2025 Outstanding Young Alumni award winner by the Illinois State University Alumni Association. Tune into this episode of Redbird Buzz to hear how Maholmes's experience at Illinois State shaped her approach to stage lighting and design, how the lighting in a stage play can evoke emotions and reactions from the audience, and what's next for her as she continues working in the world of North American theatre.

Director of Athletics Dr. Jeri Beggs

Dr. Jeri Beggs was named Illinois State University's director of Athletics in March 2025 after serving as the interim AD since May 2023. Beggs is Illinois State's 13th director of Athletics in the NCAA Division I era and the first woman to hold the position. She joins Redbird Buzz to discuss the path she has taken and her vision for the future of Illinois State Athletics. In this episode, Beggs details how her 21 years in Illinois State's College of Business as a professor of marketing and her role as faculty athletics representative prepared her for her current leadership position, and she shares what she hopes to accomplish as AD. Beggs also discusses her vision for Redbird Athletics amidst a rapidly evolving landscape in college athletics, with name, image, and likeness (NIL), the transfer portal, legal battles, and conference realignment greatly impacting mid-major institutions across the country. Despite the challenges facing Beggs, her staff, and Redbird student-athletes, she shares the many wins, both on the playing field and in the classroom, that the department has achieved under her leadership, along with the opportunities ahead for Illinois State Athletics.

Vivian Kong Doctora ’96

Vivian Kong Doctora ’96 is a community builder who connects people and culture through food. In this episode of Redbird Buzz, Kong Doctora discusses her many entrepreneurial ventures, including a steam bun business (Bao Destination), instructional cooking courses, and a partnership in a revolving sushi bar. She also shares how her culture and family traditions have inspired her food-centered businesses. Kong Doctora is featured in the spring 2025 State magazine.

Assistant Professor of Video Ruth Burke

Ruth Burke, an assistant professor of video in the Wonsook Kim College of Fine Arts at Illinois State University, is an interdisciplinary artist who collaborates with animals in her creative practice. In this episode of Redbird Buzz, Burke discusses her project “Re-Integration of Mixed-Power Systems in Agroecological Intensification,” in which she is utilizing her team of oxen, Clark and Sparky, to establish two pollinator plots and two pollinator-friendly earthworks in McLean County. Burke’s project is funded by a nearly $50,000, two-year grant from North Central Region SARE (Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education). Burke is featured in the spring 2025 Redbird Scholar magazine.

University Archivist April Anderson-Zorn discusses history-making women during World War I

Illinois State University Archivist April Anderson-Zorn returns to Redbird Buzz following a semester-long sabbatical spent researching the role of women from Illinois State Normal University in World War I. In this episode, she shares the story of a handful of history-making women and their experiences on the frontlines, helping to rebuild war-torn areas of Europe following the war, and what their lives looked like once they returned home. Tune into this episode to learn about impressive Redbird women like Ellen Babbitt, who used her education background and fundamentals of pedagogy from her time at ISNU to teach hundreds of thousands of Europeans about best health practices and how to treat their sick children in a post-war world. You'll also hear about women like Alice Smith, who joined the Army Nurse Corps and served in mobile hospitals on the frontlines during World War I, then returned home to become a renowned landscape architect.