blog posts Alumnus Larry Gies to deliver commencement address Mar 4, 2019 10:15 am Gies will encourage each graduating student to 'find your why' at the May 11 ceremony. 'It’s about being able to connect the dots from what you are doing each and every day to a higher purpose.' The courage to be first Feb 26, 2019 8:30 am When she graduated from Illinois in 1906, Maudelle Brown Bousfield was the only African American woman on campus. Later, she continued to break barriers in education in the Chicago Public Schools. Memory Lane: The 2007 Valentine’s Day blizzard Feb 1, 2019 12:15 pm On Feb. 13, 2007, Chancellor Richard Herman cancelled classes at Illinois for the first time in almost 30 years. For some, it was the best snow day ever Alum Ed Jackson, Jr.: Chief architect, MLK National Memorial Jan 19, 2019 4:45 pm Ed Jackson, Jr. shares insights into how he and his team brought the memorial from the original vision to its permanent place on the National Mall Alumnus Nate Azark: Drawn to the City Jan 14, 2019 11:15 am Nate Azark owns of 12 Line Studio, which does design work for national brands and local startups. His distinctive style has also been featured on concert posters and album covers West Point of the West Jan 16, 2019 4:15 am From its founding in 1867, the University of Illinois has played an important role in training future military officers Robert Falls: Visionary leader of Chicago's Goodman Theatre Jan 9, 2019 10:30 am Robert Falls’ theater career was launched at Illinois. '[We] were given a ton of freedom to act and direct; we did plays all over campus, in every nook and cranny.' Practicing diplomacy Jan 8, 2019 4:30 am Larry Harris is bringing a little bit of Chicago to Cameroon, his first post in the Foreign Service. Dave Eggers and the Secret Agent Supply Co. Nov 12, 2018 3:30 pm Dave Eggers talks about 826CHI, the Chicago chapter of his nonprofit that provides tutoring support for young writers and aims to illuminate children’s voices around the world The many faces of former Illini Troy Pryor Oct 17, 2018 10:15 pm Troy Pryor is making moves. But that’s nothing new for the former Illinois football player and current actor/entrepreneur who owns his own full-service production house The history of a sportswriter Oct 10, 2018 12:00 pm How majoring in history at Illinois and teaching high school helped Brad Evans become one of the most recognized and award-winning personalities in the field of sportswriting Watch now: New BTN documentary ‘Illinois Artists’ Aug 21, 2018 11:45 am A new Big Ten Network documentary features the work of the Definition Theatre Company, Endalyn Taylor and Illinois Jazz Studies faculty The Fairy Godmother of Love Jul 20, 2018 3:15 am LAS alumna Bela Gandhi helps people make the right connection Two alumni named to Crain's '20 In Their 20s' May 29, 2018 2:15 am Read about alumni Dan Klein and Lucas Frye. Both have been named to the 2018 Crain’s Chicago Business 20 In Their 20s Illinois alum Charles David Keeling: The man who tied human actions to climate change Apr 30, 2018 8:45 am Keeling was the first scientist to develop an accurate technique for measuring the air concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO2) — a greenhouse gas that traps atmospheric heat Illinois alumni help keep ABC7 Eyewitness News No. 1 in Chicago Apr 24, 2018 8:30 am Stop by the plate glass window on State Street in Chicago to watch the ABC7 Eyewitness News and you’re likely watching an Illinois graduate Tatyana McFadden claims fifth Boston Marathon title Apr 14, 2018 1:00 pm Boston Globe (April 16) McFadden made her decisive move at the 11-mile mark, overtaking defending champion Manuela Schar, and went on to win the women’s wheelchair division Journalists Balz and Simon part of panel on Trump-era political reporting Apr 6, 2018 9:15 am The panel will include alunmni Dan Balz, chief correspondent for The Washington Post, and Roger Simon, who retired last year as chief political columnist for Politico Website celebrates achievements of University of Illinois women Apr 3, 2018 12:00 pm Visit the University Library's website highlighting 150 women nominated for the significant achievements they realized as Illinois students, staff, faculty, or alumni Max Levchin: The Making of a Tech Mogul Mar 18, 2018 11:00 am Max Levchin is the poster child for transformation. From Soviet refugee, through the University of Illinois, to becoming one of the world's most influential tech pioneers Entrepreneur, UI grad Max Levchin to deliver commencement address Mar 15, 2018 10:00 am Levchin is co-founder of PayPal, former chairman of the board of Yelp, and currently the CEO, founder of the consumer-financing platform Affirm. He graduated from the U. of I. in 1997 Education alumna creating a buzz in Chicago Public School Feb 28, 2018 9:30 am First year CPS teacher and Illinois alumna Amanda Fagenson is drawing an audience and admiration for her teaching skills Levenicks donate $5m toward Illinois Football Performance Center Feb 8, 2018 8:15 pm Former team captain, offensive MVP Stu Levenick and his wife, Nancy, have committed $5 million toward the new Illinois Football Performance Center Alumnus Richard Cahan on writing 'Un-American' Feb 7, 2018 6:45 am Cahan's latest book is Un-American: The Incarceration of Japanese Americans During World War II. Cahan is a journalist, author, photo historian, and co-founder of CityFiles Press in Chicago. ECE's Phil Krein named a fellow of the National Academy of Inventors Jan 8, 2018 10:15 am Krein made significant strides in optimizing the use of solar power as a feasible energy resource, and wrote the first undergrad text to provide an engineering framework for power electronics Actor, producer, restauranteur: Alum Billy Dec is unstoppable Dec 22, 2017 12:00 pm He's been on TV shows like Empire and Criminal Minds, owns restaurants, does a podcast with NBA stars, hosts charity events... How does alumnus Billy Dec do it all? The Googlers: Mathematics alumni find success at Google Dec 12, 2017 11:00 am What can you do with a degree in mathematics? Count a career at one of the world's most successful tech companies among the possibilities University Archives receives Ebert's movie press kits from Chicago Sun-Times Nov 1, 2017 10:30 am 'Chaz (Ebert’s) efforts to connect us with the Sun-Times have been an invaluable step forward to bring the Roger Ebert archival legacy home.' College of Business receives $150 million naming gift Oct 26, 2017 8:30 am The College of Business at Illinois will be known as the Gies College of Business after an unprecedented investment from a distinguished alumnus. Illinois to honor its only Medal of Honor awardee Oct 25, 2017 8:00 am Maj. Kenneth Bailey of Danville, a 1935 graduate, was awarded the medal posthumously for leading his company in defending an airfield during the Guadalcanal Campaign in September 1942 Illinois Homecoming Week 2017 Oct 12, 2017 10:30 am Return to your campus, explore the University's 150 year history, and share your photos, memories and stories via social media Tatyana McFadden wins eighth Chicago Marathon, breaking her own course record Oct 9, 2017 2:15 pm The victory this year was special for the Illinois alumna after missing the London Marathon and finishing fourth at Boston. She had been undefeated since 2013. Illinois alum wins Columbia's John Chancellor Award for journalism Sep 19, 2017 10:45 am '(Dan) Balz is the chief correspondent of The Washington Post and one of the country’s most trusted political reporters.' Q&A: Chris Silcox, former Illini gymnast and Spider-Man stunt double Aug 11, 2017 8:30 am If you saw Spider-Man: Homecoming, you saw Chris Silcox. You just didn’t realize it. Illinois: The early years Jun 22, 2017 8:00 am From the muddy prairie rose a school—and a student body—rooted in manual labor and religious worship, in addition to cultural activities that left sports in the dust Writing the first drafts of war Jun 14, 2017 11:00 am Degrees in Russian and rhetoric help shape the career of a combat reporter Jennifer Neubauer named president of UI Alumni Association May 18, 2017 9:30 am Champaign native and University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign alumna Jennifer Lewis Neubauer has been named president of the University of Illinois Alumni Association. Time lists Illinois as one the best public colleges for bigger paychecks Apr 28, 2017 9:45 am TIME listed Illinois as one of the Top 10 best public colleges that deliver the biggest financial return for graduates' tuition dollars. A rich trove: Roger Ebert at the University of Illinois Apr 21, 2017 10:30 am Roger Ebert was not a typical University of Illinois student. His time here laid a foundation for his future, as they do for most students. But, unlike most students, they also shaped the university. Film industry heavyweights descend on Champaign to pay tribute to Ebert’s lasting legacy Apr 20, 2017 11:30 am Norman Lear: 'It’s one thing to criticize, another to criticize out of love. To know his work is to know how much he cared for film and for filmmakers.' What did a University of Illinois student handbook look like in 1934? Apr 20, 2017 11:15 am The handbook allowed Illini to plan which class dance they’d attend, pencil in a class schedules and check guidelines on curfew. (Yes, there was a residence hall curfew.) 2017 Chicago Illini of the Year Awards Mar 16, 2017 9:30 am Co-sponsored by the University of Illinois Alumni Association and the Chicago Illini Club, this award recognizes the accomplishments of Chicago-area graduates of the University. Rich Nye: From Cubs pitcher to exotic vet pioneer Mar 1, 2017 9:30 am After his pitching career, Nye became a nationally renowned authority on avian medicine and 1989 president of the Association of Avian Veterinarians. Illinois names inaugural class to its Athletics Hall Of Fame Feb 23, 2017 10:45 am The 28-person Class of 2017, dates back to the first Illini football team in 1890, through the addition of women's varsity teams in the early 1970s, and up to coaches and athletes from the current century. In WWII, alumna found herself behind enemy lines Feb 8, 2017 9:00 am Jill Pitts Knappenberger drove a modified Red Cross bus that delivered coffee, doughnuts and goodwill to Allied troops - until she found herself surrounded by German soldiers in the Battle of the Bulge Educational entrepreneur, postdoc researcher make Forbes '30 under 30' list Jan 10, 2017 9:45 am Illinois' Ryan Hoch, alumnus and co-founder of Overgrad, and current postdoctoral researcher Lydia Kisley, were named to the 2017 Forbes "30 Under 30" ranking for Education and Healthcare, respectively. Illinois' Tatyana McFadden is on Forbes '30 Under 30' list Jan 5, 2017 11:30 am McFadden solidified her legacy as the top Paralympic marathoner in the world as she completed her fourth straight sweep of the marathon majors, and dominated the track at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games U of I receives $1 million for scholarships from Give Something Back Foundation Nov 29, 2016 12:00 pm Founded by an LAS alumnus, national organization makes college a reality for students of modest means Looking back on dorm life at the University of Illinois Nov 22, 2016 10:15 am Residence halls act as a home away from home for college students as they navigate their campus lives. Here’s a look at Illinois’ dormitories over the years, from bedrooms to lounge areas to on-site eateries. Illinois' Tatyana McFadden won her fourth straight New York City Marathon Sunday Nov 7, 2016 11:30 am the 27-year-old U.S. Paralympian won her fifth overall New York title, earning her a fourth straight sweep of all four major marathons – not done by anyone else in the history of wheelchair racing or elite running.