Come join us for an unforgettable evening of classical music as the Aionios Piano Trio takes the stage at Lewis University this fall. This acclaimed ensemble, with Grace Ko on the violin, Cecilia Ham on the cello, and Christine Lim on the piano will perform a captivating program featuring works by Ludwig van Beethoven, Dmitri Shostakovich, and a selection of Korean art songs, blending tradition with cultural depth.

"Aionios" is the Greek word for Everlasting in hopes that their love and passion music would last forever.

The Mesudiya Ensemble cultivates the tradition of performing spiritual music by combining classical and modern musical elements. Their performances bring together high musical skill with a spiritual message, to the delight of their audiences in Bosnia and internationally. The ensemble pays special attention to the preservation and revival of traditional musical forms while simultaneously opening up possibilities for new compositions, adapted to modern sensibilities.

Mesudiya Ensemble has participated in numerous Bosnian and international festivals and concerts. Their performances are often aligned with sacred events and humanitarian projects. Together with its musical mission, the ensemble also plays an educational role. Through its work, it introduces especially younger generations to cultural traditions.

"I think it’s fair to say that I have gained an even greater appreciation of Shakespeare’s humor than before I attended this show.” — Faith Andra Harris, KCFringe

Breakneck Twelfth Night is a whirlwind journey through Shakespeare’s beloved comedy, condensing the usual two-hour play into a thrilling one-hour performance with a single actor. Tim Mooney’s “breakneck performance” brings to life the wit, romance, and mistaken identities of Twelfth Night with breathtaking speed and clarity. This adaptation showcases the play’s humor and heart, making Shakespeare’s language more accessible than ever.

Dave Savini is an investigative reporter and news anchor for CBS News Chicago, WBBM-TV. Savini has been honored with every major national broadcast journalism award. Dave is five-time National Edward R. Murrow Award winner and recipient of the prestigious George Foster Peabody Award, Alfred I. duPont Award, and Investigative Reporters and Editors Award (IRE). Savini was hired by CBS in 2004 and his career in Chicago started at NBC5 Chicago with the UNIT-5 Investigative Team where he was the investigative reporter from 1993-2004. His other awards include 27 regional Emmys as well as a national Emmy Crystal Pillar award. In 2019, he earned the national IRE award and in 2019, the George Foster Peabody award for his series, “unWarranted” which exposed a systematic pattern of wrong police raids at the homes of innocent families, including the raid on Anjanette Young’s home. He also won the 2020 and 2021 National Association of Black Journalists network investigative award for his reporting on wrong raids for the CBS Evening News. The raid on Young, one of the most high-profile raids, also garnered the 2020 Emmy and the national Crystal Pillar award. Savini was voted best reporter by the Illinois Associated Press 5 times. He filed his first reports in 1989 at WKEF in Dayton, Ohio and at WHIZ in Zanesville, Ohio. He specializes in exposing government waste, police corruption, consumer scams, product liability, environmental reporting, and medical negligence. Other areas of expertise include investigating public transportation, public schools, and failing infrastructure. He is a Chicago native and graduated from the University of Dayton. He volunteers with numerous local charities and lives with his wife Shannon in Naperville.

Join us for an performance of new piano music performed by highly acclaimed pianist, Dr. Kari Johnson Barroso. A dedicated performer of contemporary and classical repertoire, she has been featured at Electronic Music Midwest, the Thailand International Composition Festival, Society of Electronic Music in the U.S., International Computer Music Conference, and the Seoul International Computer Music Festival.

This interactive concert will feature innovative works for piano by living composers, including a "15 Minutes of Fame." This newly commissioned work by New York City based Vox Novus is a composition of 15, one-minute pieces by 15 composers; a musical spectacle not to be missed!

Senabella Gill is an American singer, songwriter, producer, youth mentor, playwright, and music activist who has performed to sold out enthusiastic audiences for years. Dubbed The Bronzeville Diva by the late jazz hornist and music activist Malachi Thompson, she is a multi-awarded jazz influencer, who has spent her career producing, writing, and telling the history of jazz and blues music.

Join us as The Bronzeville Diva partners with Robert Irving lll (formerly of Miles Davis' band) for an evening of amazing jazz and blues music performed by a Chicago legend.

Monarch Winds presents an evening of woodwind quintet favorites from the 20th century & Romantic era. Since 2011 Monarch Winds has provided woodwind quintet programs at Lewis University, St John's the Evangelist Episcopal Church in Lockport and other venues in Will & Dupage counties. As the in-resident woodwind quintet at Lewis University, Monarch Winds strives to provide cultural opportunities for students and residents in the Chicagoland area.

Lewis University proudly presents 5 Lesbians Eating a Quiche, brought to you by Violet Surprise Theatre, whose mission is to vibrantly validate the voices of queer women. 5 Lesbians Eating a Quiche is a scintillating satire of women’s roles in the 1950s, enlisting its characters in a caricature of the sexism, heterosexism, consumerism, and Communism exuberant in the era. Join us for this absurdly adorable and unapologetic declaration of lesbi-independence! Following the performance, there will be a Q&A with the cast.



Written by Evan Linder and Andrew Hobgood, 5 Lesbians Eating a Quiche is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc.

This series showcases work selected by the editors to be published in each issue of Lewis University's online literary journal. The speakers will include Jet Fuel Review editors, faculty, staff and alumni. You can request more information from Dr. Simone Muench.

Established in 1887, the Chicago Society of Artists (CSA) is now into its third century. Much of CSA's renown is due to its members' abilities to express and interpret the human experience via artistic versatility and eclectic styles across a variety of art mediums. CSA members honor the legacy of the past by creating an artistic legacy for the future.

Paul Mitchell is an art professor and digital artist living in Illinois. This exhibit selection is from a body of work reflecting his interest in climate change beginning in 2006 with the publication of An Inconvenient Truth by Al Gore. This led to the realization that climate change was connected to global warming, ocean acidification, wildlife extinction, and massive migration of life on the planet. Most recently, his focus has been on mitigation of the problems and suffering caused by climate change. The works are meant to work together supporting a context of healing our planet.

Devin Ingram, a Chicago-area artist, husband and father, creates artwork reflecting his life experiences encompassing tragedy, love, pain, and joy. His diverse artistic approach, utilizing acrylics, oils, ink, pastels, and pencils, demonstrates his commitment to employing readily available materials to convey his artistic vision. Dev intends to convey his concepts visually, creating a presentation that is not only seen but is also felt.

The Lewis University Department of Art and Design is proud to present the Senior Capstone Exhibition. This biannual art show coincides with the capstone course, Senior Project. The course challenges graduating students to put their newly acquired skills and understanding of art to the test by participating in a professional exhibition experience.

Celebrate Women Artists at the Field with Rebecca Banasiak, Peggy MacNamara, and Adrienne Stroup, whose work bridges art and science in bold, imaginative ways. Inspired by the museum’s collections and mission to connect all of us to the natural world, their creations reveal the beauty of discovery and the power of visual storytelling. Join this visionary collective during Women’s History Month, February–March 2026, in celebration of STEAM and creativity.

The President’s Annual Art Exhibition highlights the top artwork from Lewis Students and Alumni. This important juried exhibition is hosted by the Department of Art and Design and sponsored by Dr. David Livingston, President of Lewis University.

The Lewis University Department of Art and Design is proud to present the Senior Capstone Exhibition. This biannual art show coincides with the capstone course, Senior Project. The course challenges graduating students to put their newly acquired skills and understanding of art to the test by participating in a professional exhibition experience.

A talented and experienced Black actress has been cast in Chaos in Belleville, an anti-lynching play set to open on Broadway. She’s paid her dues throughout the years, playing stereotypical supporting roles in second-rate shows, and is ready for her star turn. Chaos in Belleville, written by a white playwright, might not be quite as enlightened a piece as she’s been hoping for — but that doesn’t mean it won’t sell out. And selling out is the question at the heart of Alice Childress’s comedy-drama. A cast of multigenerational Black actors rehearse under the purview of a white director and stage manager, and as the rehearsal process unfolds, theatre conventions and racial politics collide, resulting in a surprisingly funny yet deeply piercing look at the entertainment industry.

Written by Alice Childress; Directed by Risha Tenae Hill

This program is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency.

When Nina enters her first air guitar competition, she thinks winning will be easy. But as she befriends a group of charismatic nerds all committed to becoming the next champion, she discovers that there’s more to this art form than playing pretend; it’s about finding yourself in your favorite songs, and performing with raw joy. Will Nina be able to let go and set herself free onstage? Following her mission to shred or be shredded, Airness is an exuberant reminder that everything we need to rock is already inside us. A comedy about competition, completion, and finding the airness inside yourself.

Written by Chelsea Marcantel; Directed by Annie Calhoun

This program is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency.

The first American woman to test for space flight, Jerrie Cobb, steps into an isolation tank for a record-breaking nine hours as her memories unfold before her, from learning to fly a plane as a child in Oklahoma to testifying in Congressional hearings about the underthe- radar all-female Mercury 13 space program. They Promised Her the Moon is a compelling drama about the challenges of sisterhood and fighting for the greater good, based on a true story.

Written by Laurel Ollstein; Directed by Dr. Kevin Trudeau

This program is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency.

Sister Act is the feel-good musical comedy smash based on the hit 1992 film that has audiences jumping to their feet! Featuring original music by Tony- and eight-time Oscar winner, Alan Menken (Newsies, Beauty and the Beast, Little Shop of Horrors), this uplifting musical was nominated for five Tony Awards, including Best Musical. When disco diva, Deloris Van Cartier, witnesses a murder, she is put in protective custody in the one place the cops are sure she won’t be a found: a convent! Disguised as a nun, she finds herself at odds with both the rigid lifestyle and uptight Mother Superior. Using her unique disco moves and singing talent to inspire the choir, Deloris breathes new life into the church and community but, in doing so, blows her cover. Soon, the gang is giving chase, only to find them up against Deloris and the power of her newly found sisterhood.

Filled with powerful gospel music, outrageous dancing and a truly moving story, Sister Act will leave audiences breathless. The cast is chock full of amazing roles for women of all ages, making this a perfect choice for high schools and community theatres. A sparkling tribute to the universal power of friendship, Sister Act is reason to REJOICE!

Music by Alan Menken, Lyrics by Glenn Slater, Book by Cheri Steinkellner & Bill Steinkellner, Additional Book Material by Douglas Carter Beane, Based on the Touchstone Pictures Motion Picture, Sister Act, written by Joseph Howard

This program is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency.

Music is significant in Sufi practice as a means of spiritual expression. This is particularly the case for Sufi practice in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Speaker Emin Lelia will discuss the connections between Sufism and music in the Balkans, emphasizing Bosnia-Herzegovina. He will discuss its historical development and modern-day practice.

Join us as we welcome the newly named 6th Illinois Poet Laureate, Mark Turcotte, Senior Lecturer and Distinguished Writer-In-Residence at DePaul University. Writer, Mark Turcotte (Turtle Mountain Band Anishinaabe) spent his earliest years on North Dakota's Turtle Mountain Chippewa Reservation and in the migrant camps of the western United States. Later, he grew up in and around Lansing, Michigan. Arriving in Chicago in the spring of 1993, Turcotte rediscovered his love of words and writing and quickly established himself as a unique voice in the city’s thriving poetry scene. That summer he was the winner of the first Gwendolyn Brooks Open Mic Poetry Award. Turcotte is author of The Feathered Heart; Songs of Our Ancestors; a chapbook, Road Noise; A Bilingual Collection, Le Chant de la Route, and Exploding Chippewas (Northwestern Univ Press).

His work has appeared in many national and international literary journals and is included in the new and first ever Norton Anthology of Native Nations Poetry. Turcotte was the recipient of a 2001-2002 Lannan Foundation Literary Completion Grant. In 2008 he completed an MFA in Creative Writing at Western Michigan University. After graduation he served as the 2008-2009 Visiting Native Writer at the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He lives in Chicago and, since 2009, has been Senior Lecturer and Distinguished-Writer-In-Residence in the English Department at DePaul University. Mark will be presenting a poetry reading followed by a Q&A session.

Join the Office of Diversity, Sociology Department and African American Studies Program for a film screening and discussion of Idlewild. This film imagines radically different Black realities, reflecting Dr. Carter Jackson’s analysis of resistance as not only historical but aspirational.

This film screening is part of Lewis University's Fall 2025 "Refusing Silence: A Black Film & Dialogue Series on Resistance and Reclamation."

“Refusing Silence” is a three-part co-curricular film and dialogue series inspired by Dr. Kellie Carter Jackson’s powerful work, We Refuse: A Forceful History of Black Resistance. All are welcome to join this intentional space for collective engagement, healing, and intellectual empowerment through the lens of Black film. Each session centers a film that echoes the themes of rebellion, refusal, radical love, joy and communal resilience, opening up rich conversations that connect historical Black resistance to contemporary struggles and triumphs.

Anchored in monthly gatherings leading up to Black History Month, this series prepares the campus for Dr. Carter Jackson’s in-person visit to the Romeoville Campus on 2/11/26 by building a community of reflection and action. It is more than a film series—it is a reclamation of space, voice, and narrative at Lewis University.

Gather in community around "the FIRE" (Fostering Interfaith Relationship through Encounter) to share stories and break bread! This annual interfaith event employs storytelling and storylistening to make meaning and connect communities across religious difference. This year, our theme is "Empathy in Action: Living our Lasallian Values." Several panelists from the diverse religious and cultural traditions of Lewis University will share stories exemplifying their own understanding of what it means to live Lasallian values in our communities. Participants will also have the opportunity to share stories from their own experiences or from their faith traditions over dinner in small groups. Community dinner, with halal and vegetarian options, will be served around 6:15pm (after sunset). Please contact Dr. Elizabeth Sartell with questions.

Dr. Jason Keleher will invite participants into an interactive exploration of how scientific insights, especially from chemistry and nanoscience, can illuminate questions of faith and meaning. Together, we will consider: What does it mean to strive for order in a world of entropy? How can the scientific study of the small reframe the way we think about trust, hope, and humility? In what ways do both science and faith call us to embrace uncertainty as a path to deeper understanding? Through demonstrations, images, and dialogue, we will reflect on how the interplay of entropy, striving, and faith shapes our search to live more fully "beyond the visible."

Andrew Hartman, Professor of History at Illinois State University and author of the recently published "Karl Marx in America", will present the Spring 2026 Sczepaniak Endowed Lecture titled "Culture Wars, Then and Now." The event will take place on March 26 in the University Dining Room on the Lewis University Romeoville campus.

In "Culture Wars, Then and Now," Hartman will examine the culture wars. These battles concern a range of issues, including how history is taught in public schools, but they are ultimately struggles over what it means to be American. Hartman points out that these battles have been part of American political culture since the 1960s. But in recent years, the culture wars have seemed more intense, more violent, more existential than ever.

This lecture will examine the culture wars since the 1960s, comparing and contrasting the late twentieth-century culture wars with our current version. The speaker will explain why our contemporary culture wars seem worse than ever.

Hartman is widely recognized for his scholarship on American intellectual, cultural, and political history. In addition to "Karl Marx in America", he is the author of "A War for the Soul of America: A History of the Culture Wars", and he has articles in numerous academic journals and public outlets. As a leading interpreter of the political and cultural struggles that have shaped the modern United States, Hartman brings valuable historical perspective to many of today's most pressing national debates.

The legacy of Jim and Mary Clare Sczepaniak lives on through scholarships, Lewis University enhancements and now, the James P. '60 and Mary C. Sczepaniak Lecture Series presented by the Lewis University History Department. Visit www.alumni.lewisu.edu/Sczepaniak for more information about Jim Szczepaniak. 

Please join us for our ongoing "Qur'an and Bible" lecture series (MSA-Mission-Theology dept. collaboration). This spring, two expert guests will co-present a lecture on Disability in Scriptural Studies during community hour. The event will feature Dr. Lauren Osborne (author of Hearing Islam) in conversation with Dr. Daniel Smith (both from Whitman College). Dr. Osborne will focus on deafness as it intersects with Qur'anic recitation and oral/aural traditions, and Dr. Smith will explore disability and otherness in revelation in New Testament and Biblical traditions. Halal lunch will be served.

Come join us for an unforgettable evening of classical music as renowned cellist, Timothy Archbold, takes the stage at Lewis University. This extraordinary artist will perform a captivating program featuring beloved classical works alongside newer compositions.

Making art allows Ruth Michalsen (she/her) of Ruth Hong Art to appreciate the present. She lives with complex PTSD. She uses a variety of mediums, especially her own cut photographs, to depict personal experiences. Her work explores life’s themes including mental health, childhood and self-compassion. Ruth resides in Romeoville, Illinois with her husband and two boys.

Bill Bartelt grew up in Joliet, the son of a farm dealer, in the days when it was still both a “cow town” and a “railroad town.” The fascination for both has never left him. During a Chicago career in show business, Bill painted the rails, bridges, and watertanks that he first loved as a kid. Travels around the countryside kept him close to his rural roots, and the hills, forests and rivers have kept him sustained and inspired.

Multidisciplinary artist Kathryn Gauthier is a graduate of Emmanuel College and Trinity Rep Conservatory. Her extensive fine art career has progressed in tandem with her interests in the performing, culinary, and healing arts. She maintains memberships and frequently shows with CAVA, CSA, and Woman-made Gallery, and is represented in art collections in Chicago and Massachusetts. kathryngauthier.com

Gregorio Mejia, a graduate of the American Academy of Art, has distinguished himself with numerous awards throughout his 50-year career. He maintains memberships in the Palette & Chisel, CSA, CAVA, and the National Portrait Society among others. In addition to his fine art career, he is an experienced muralist, advertising production artist, and painting instructor.

The Lewis University Department of Art and Design is proud to present the Senior Capstone Exhibition. This biannual art show coincides with the capstone course, Senior Project. The course challenges graduating students to put their newly acquired skills and understanding of art to the test by participating in a professional exhibition experience.

A talented and experienced Black actress has been cast in Chaos in Belleville, an anti-lynching play set to open on Broadway. She’s paid her dues throughout the years, playing stereotypical supporting roles in second-rate shows, and is ready for her star turn. Chaos in Belleville, written by a white playwright, might not be quite as enlightened a piece as she’s been hoping for — but that doesn’t mean it won’t sell out. And selling out is the question at the heart of Alice Childress’s comedy-drama. A cast of multigenerational Black actors rehearse under the purview of a white director and stage manager, and as the rehearsal process unfolds, theatre conventions and racial politics collide, resulting in a surprisingly funny yet deeply piercing look at the entertainment industry.

Written by Alice Childress; Directed by Risha Tenae Hill

This program is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency.

Music is significant in Sufi practice as a means of spiritual expression. This is particularly the case for Sufi practice in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Speaker Emin Lelia will discuss the connections between Sufism and music in the Balkans, emphasizing Bosnia-Herzegovina. He will discuss its historical development and modern-day practice.