blog posts $1M gift keeps Soybean Innovation Lab operational after USAID closure Apr 28, 2025 10:45 am A $1.02 million gift from an anonymous donor will fund the lab and core staff for another year. The reprieve will allow SIL to complete some of its most critical work and give it time to seek stable funding into the future. Boneyard Creek Community Day, April 12 Apr 7, 2025 11:00 am Boneyard Creek Community Day is a way to celebrate and protect lakes and streams in Champaign County by engaging volunteers to pitch in and clean. Nobel Laureate Thomas R. Cech to give IGB Distinguished Public Lecture Mar 25, 2025 12:00 pm 'The Magic of RNA: New Medicines, Immortality, and the Power to Control Evolution' will be delivered by Nobel Laureate Thomas R. Cech at 3:30 p.m. on April 1st, 2025 at the I Hotel & Illinois Conference Center. U. of I. hosts National Intercollegiate Wheelchair Basketball Tournament Mar 17, 2025 1:45 pm As the flagship program in wheelchair athletics, Illinois brings a long history of excellence at the Intercollegiate Wheelchair Basketball level. All games will be played at State Farm Center from March 25 to 29. Chancellor Robert J. Jones named 2025 Commencement speaker Mar 13, 2025 3:30 pm Jones announced last November that he would be ending his time as the longest serving chancellor at Illinois since that position was created. But before he goes, he'll speak to his final U. of I. graduating class. Insect Fear Film Festival to feature ‘hairy, scary’ tarantulas Feb 17, 2025 9:00 am The 2025 Insect Fear Film Festival will feature 'Tarantulas: Hairy, Scary Spiders' as its theme and a Hollywood bug wrangler as a special guest. The 2025 Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration events at Illinois Jan 16, 2025 12:30 pm The 2025 celebration theme is “Our Beloved Community: Protecting Freedom, Justice & Democracy.” Altgeld update video: Drilling 104 feet to preserve 128 years of history Dec 11, 2024 11:15 am In spring 2023, the renovation of Altgeld Hall’s exterior began, and is currently in progress. Construction superintendent Nick Roussey explains the renovation process, with the hope that Altgeld will stand for another 200 years. U. of I. continues to rank among leading destinations for international students Nov 27, 2024 9:45 am Illinois is once again a top destination for international students, according to data from this year’s Open Doors report. The report ranks the U. of I. second in the nation among public universities for the most international students. Main Library celebrates 100 years Nov 26, 2024 12:15 pm University Library and the U of I Foundation are celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the Main Library building and the dedication of the Shebik Family Reading Room. November 4-8 is First-Generation Week at Illinois Nov 1, 2024 4:00 pm This week is dedicated to raising awareness about first-gen college student experiences at Illinois. Join the Jeffries Center and First-Generation Student Initiatives in celebrating the numerous strengths first generation students bring to our campus. Illinois welcomes largest number of students in university history Sep 11, 2024 11:00 am U. of I. welcomes a record-breaking class for the Fall 2024 semester. With a freshman enrollment of 9,008, the new class brings record total student enrollment at 59,238 - 37,140 undergraduates and 20,765 graduate students. Hahl-mo-nee goes back to school Aug 27, 2024 11:30 am The first day back was like a dream, and not a good one. Bonnie, 65, remembers walking on the Main Quad among waves of college students. They were younger than her children. “I asked myself, ‘What am I doing here?’” 2024 Homecoming, September 8-14 Aug 26, 2024 10:30 am View the full list of events, more details and visitor guides on the Homecoming 2024 website. Welcome, Class of 2028! Aug 16, 2024 4:45 pm We have a whole week of activities planned to welcome new students to the campus and to the Illinois family. Check the schule of events here. Updated landscape to set Quad's mammoth statue in Pleistocene-era vegetation Jul 15, 2024 1:15 pm The 'Pleistocene Garden' is being designed by Professor Stephen Marshak features plants from the central Illinois landscape around 30,000 years ago, predating Illinois’ earliest human inhabitants. Pinholster named new dean of College of Fine and Applied Arts Jun 27, 2024 2:15 pm Jacob Pinholster has been selected as dean of the College of Fine and Applied Arts, effective Sept. 16. He is currently the executive dean for enterprise design in the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts at Arizona State University. Catch the latest blockbusters under the stars at Summer Outdoor Movies on the Quad May 24, 2024 3:15 pm Catch the latest blockbusters under the stars at Summer Outdoor Movies on the Quad. Every Thursday evening at 9 p.m. from May 23 - Aug. 8, enjoy free movies on the Quad's big screen. Read Jeanne Gang's Commencement keynote: Keep the Spark May 17, 2024 3:15 pm Jeanne Gang, the 2024 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Commencement speaker, delivered her address to over 7,000 graduates seated on the Memorial Stadium field on May 11. Announcing the Siebel School of Computing and Data Science Apr 24, 2024 8:45 am The School will pioneer advancements at the intersection of computing and data science, addressing complex challenges and driving innovation across various fields. Moms Weekend 2024, April 12-14 Apr 8, 2024 8:00 am Celebrate over 100 years of inviting Moms to the Illinois campus! Environmental scientist escapes Cameroon conflict as part of U of I Scholars at Risk program Apr 3, 2024 10:00 am 'It’s not a good feeling when guys with guns say you will die if you don’t comply. Mostly they will keep you until they get the ransom money. There are so many groups fighting that the next week another group can catch you, and then another. It’s crazy.' Illini Valentines Kevin and Pam: Eternal Flames Feb 14, 2024 8:15 am 'I was a pledge in my sorority and the older girls told me, "Whatever you do, don’t sit with a boy on that bench by the (Eternal Flame),"' recalls Pam. 'Because if you do and if you kiss him, you’re gonna get married.' New Illinois initiative to embed arts into all aspects of university Feb 8, 2024 4:30 pm 'Arts are not decoration. They are deeply investigative, sophisticated practices. I want that to be recognized, acknowledged and engaged with,' says Cynthia Oliver, who was named the special advisor to the chancellor for arts integration. Join us! Check the calendar of Homecoming Week events Oct 13, 2023 11:15 am With a Homecoming week theme of 'Sweet Home Illini,' the U of I welcomes alumni and friends to campus for a full week's worth of events, from the 5k on Sunday, Oct. 15, through a fall football weekend that culminates with a Foreigner concert. Graduate Student Appreciation Week Oct 9, 2023 9:45 am This Graduate Student Appreciation Week is an opportunity to celebrate graduate students at Illinois and throughout our campus community, and there a host of activities planned to help you do that. Turn the Handle: Interactive art at the mechanical engineering building Oct 4, 2023 11:00 am Called Grasp, the three metal vertical arms move back and forth with the power of a simple handle-crank on the base. On the back of the gearbox, glass panels allow the user to see the gears at work. Come give it a turn! FAA faculty to lead Chancellor's Arts Integration initiative Sep 29, 2023 11:45 am In an effort to further integrate the arts into campus life, Chancellor Robert Jones has named Professor as Special Advisor to the Chancellor for Arts Integration. Dr. Amy L. Powell will serve as Curator of Campus Arts Research under Oliver’s direction. Science historian Naomi Oreskes: How free market ideology blocks climate action Sep 28, 2023 4:15 pm Naomi Oreskes, a leader in examining efforts to undermine the scientific truth on the causes of global warming, will give a Center for Advanced Study MillerComm lecture on how free market ideology is preventing action on climate change. Veteran TV journalist Brian Williams visits campus October 23 Sep 27, 2023 10:15 am Brian Williams, former anchor of MSNBC's The 11th Hour and NBC Nightly News, will be on the U of I campus to talk about the evolution of broadcast news in America on Monday, October 23, 7-8 p.m. A Zoom option is available. 2023 Beckman Institute Research Image contest winners Aug 31, 2023 1:45 pm 'This contest is just a small sample of the 40 academic units we represent, and it shows how many disciplines are impacted by the imaging facilities and capabilities here at Beckman. I love how the beauty and diversity of the science shines through.' Marching Illini in Concert makes a triumphant return to State Farm Center Aug 25, 2023 4:00 pm Their string of 23 consecutive years performing at the venue was interrupted after the concert in October, 2013, due to a renovation that began the following year. Their concert will feature all of the traditional gameday music, plus a few surprises. Welcome, Class of 2027 Aug 14, 2023 4:00 pm LInk to Welcome Week events page U.S. Transportation Secretary Buttigieg here to support transportation infrastructure research Aug 1, 2023 10:30 am The new Transportation Infrastructure Precast Innovation Center got 'a dose of encouragement and excitement about the mission we are undertaking' with a visit from Buttigieg, Rep. Nikki Budzinski, and U.S. Senator Dick Durbin on Monday. Grange Grove football tailgating reservations open for 2023 Jul 7, 2023 10:30 am Starting this season, fans will be required to reserve tailgate spaces in advance, ensuring a safe and organized environment for all attendees. Space reservations will be provided free of charge. U of I Library: Victorian-era books may have heavy metal-based pigments Jun 15, 2023 1:30 pm The Heavy Metals Project of the University Library will survey the 19th-century books in the Library’s collection and test those with their original cloth-covered bindings to determine if they contain traces of heavy metals in the pigments used for the covers. Commencement! May 10, 2023 4:45 pm The university-wide Commencement ceremony will be held on Saturday, May 13, 2023 at 9:30 a.m. in Memorial Stadium. It will be livestreamed at https://go.illinois.edu/live. Preserving the sound of the Altgeld Chimes May 12, 2023 10:45 am With the imminent closure of the bell tower at Altgeld Hall for major renovation work, chimes players are hoping a recording of their music will carry on the Illini tradition of the chimes until the building restoration is finished. (Includes video!) There's a new sculpture on the Quad - and it's MAMMOTH Mar 23, 2023 4:15 pm The next, and past, big thing: The great wooly mammoth is back… Visible to all, not an apparition… Near the University of Illinois Main Quad. 2023 Commencement Speaker : Jackie Joyner-Kersee Mar 7, 2023 9:30 am Six-time Olympic medalist Jackie Joyner-Kersee will serve as U of I's commencement speaker Saturday, May 13. ESPN named her one of the 50 Great Athletes of All Time. Sports Illustrated named her Female Athlete of the 20th Century. Celebrate Black History Month at Illinois Feb 1, 2023 10:15 am Black History Month gives everyone the opportunity to share, celebrate and understand the impact of Black heritage and culture. Uase this site to find events and stories of impact from Black students, alumni, faculty and staff at U of I. Fall 2022: Record-breaking international student enrollment Jan 18, 2023 10:30 am Overall international fall enrollment at Illinois is 11,548, which topped the previous record of 10,826 students in 2017, and includes record high enrollments from India and Africa. Along for (more than) the ride with U of I Police Jan 9, 2023 12:15 pm 'Our primary focus as crisis workers is in suicide prevention and hospital deferral when clinically appropriate,' says alumna Becky Rowe (MSW, '21). 'We bring evidence-based tools directly to the client, in the field.' Holiday kindness at Illinois Dec 9, 2022 4:15 pm Chancellor Robert Jones wishes the entire university community a happy holiday season. Former ambassador to Ukraine Maria Yovanovitch honored with Douglas Award Dec 7, 2022 1:15 pm The Paul H. Douglas Award for Ethics in Government, presented by U of I’s Institute of Government and Public Affairs, recognizes public officials who demonstrate the highest standards of public service. Five ways to use technology to decrease your stress Dec 6, 2022 3:00 pm It’s a stressful time of year with holidays and the end of the semester. Technology can add to that stress, or it can be used to minimize the stress. Q&A with alum Dan Balz, chief correspondent of The Washington Post Dec 1, 2022 9:15 am Join us as alumnus Dan Balz of The Washington Post, discusses the U.S. Senate Georgia runoff election between Democratic incumbent Senator Raphael G. Warnock and Republican challenger Herschel Walker on Dec. 5. $25M gift to support new interdisciplinary learning center Nov 3, 2022 9:15 am The South Campus Center for Interdisciplinary Learning will be a four-story building on Gregory Drive between the Business Instructional Facility and Huff Hall. Construction will begin in spring 2023 and is expected to be completed by early 2025. Graduate Student Appreciation Week Oct 24, 2022 10:00 am Check out the list of events for Grad Student Appreciation Week, October 24 - 28, as the campus celebrates their many contributions to the missions of the University. Celebrate U of I's global reach Oct 17, 2022 10:30 am International Education Week celebrates the broad impact of global learning, cultural exchange, and scholarship uniquely experienced at the U of I. Check out our educational, cultural, and recreational events that celebrate our reach.