Prairie State College Social Sciences Department

09/04/2026

With all the national and local news stories circulating that are sparking conversations about mental health and wellness, it is worth reposting that Compassion is Always On Call.

For Free, Trained, Confidential Support Call 988 or Text 988 or go to 988lifeline.org/chat

When Should I Call 988?

If you or someone you know is feeling overwhelmed, experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis, or having thoughts of su***de, call or text 988. No matter the situation, a trained Crisis Worker will listen, offer support, and help you navigate what comes next.

Prairie State College Personal Counseling can be reached at https://prairiestate.edu/student-resources/counseling.aspx

If someone is in immediate danger, or you are experiencing an emergency, dial 9-1-1.

Mental health and wellness services are available through Personal Counseling to help students navigate challenges students may face in and out of the classroom.

09/03/2026

"...she continued working for equality until the very end."

You need look no further than the Social Sciences to understand the profound impact of her life and activism on the world in which we live.

Gloria Steinem, March 25, 1934 – September 2, 2026

https://www.instagram.com/p/Dc0dotLOqUN/

09/03/2026

We once found a paper clip buried in the garden...

In Denmark, a homeowner digging in their backyard unexpectedly found the country's largest silver hoard from the Viking Age.

08/28/2026

This week in Political Science…

Is messing with the lyrics of “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” the third rail of Midwestern politics? 🤔

Lake Huron rolls, Superior sings
In the rooms of her ice-water mansion
Old Michigan steams like a young man's dreams
The islands and bays are for sportsmen
And farther below Lake Ontario
Takes in what Lake Erie can send her
And the iron boats go as the mariners all know
With the gales of November remembered 💨

You're listening to the official audio for Gordon Lightfoot - "Wrec...

08/27/2026

In case you were wondering...

The name “Ontario” is derived from the Huron-Wendat (Wyandot) word “Ontarí’io,” which means “great lake” or “beautiful water.”

By the 1650s (so the mid-seventeenth century), the French were regularly labeling the lake as "Lacus Ontarius" on their maps - a latinized form of Lake Ontario. They understood that the lake was the gateway to the homelands of the Onondaga, Oneida, and Cayuga peoples.

Fun fact... Amerigo Vespucci never set foot in North America.

Visit Native Land Digital for an overview of the tribes that have held stewardship over the land and waters of North America since time immemorial:

Native Land is a resource to learn more about Indigenous territories, languages, lands, and ways of life. We welcome you to our site.

08/27/2026

Historians: History doesn’t repeat itself.

Economists: 🧻

08/20/2026

The redesign - and possible renaming - of the soon to be laid down Ford class aircraft carrier USS Doris “Dorie“ Miller is in the news.

But who was Dorie Miller? There’s more to his story than the character you may have seen portrayed by Cuba Gooding Jr. in the highly fictionalized movie Pearl Harbor…

“On Sunday 7 December 1941, Mess Attendant Third Class Doris Miller was retrieving laundry [aboard USS West Virginia] when the Japanese bombs fell on Pearl Harbor. He arrived on deck, where he encountered his mortally wounded commanding officer and carried him to safety. He proceeded to one of the machine guns and although black sailors never received training on the anti-aircraft guns, he opened fire on the Japanese planes overhead. After the gun ran out of ammunition, Miller assisted in evacuating sailors after the order to abandon ship and was one of the last three men to leave the vessel as it sank. Even after leaving the ship, he helped numerous sailors to safety.”

Source:

He became a hero at Pearl Harbor and paved the way for generations of change in the United States Navy.

08/20/2026

Don’t miss this Constitution Day program on September 15! 📜 🇺🇸 👑 All are welcome!

Join us in the library classroom on Tuesday, September 15th from 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM for a Constitution Day lecture. Dr. Justin Pariseau (History) will talk about Revolutionary ideology and the Founders' opposition to monarchy as a form of government, fears that the Constitution could betray the principles of the Revolution, and recent No Kings protests that have happened across the country and in our community.

08/19/2026

Bookstore Extended Hours!!! 📚📚📚

August 19 and 20
8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The bookstore website is updated, and you can find all frequently asked questions as well as upcoming opt-out dates for the Pioneer Book Bundle Program at
https://prairiestate.edu/student-resources/college-bookstore.aspx

If you have any Social Sciences textbook questions, don't hesitate to reach out to your teacher!

Get access to your required course materials in a convenient package before the first day of classes.

08/19/2026

Student Resource Fair TODAY (8/19) 11-2! You don't have to navigate challenging times alone!