Illinois Featured Content

Alumna Susan Hagel sits behind a table covered with her Olympic medals. Photo by CCX Media from linked story on the USA Archery website announcing her USOPC Hall of Fame induction

U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Hall of Fame inducts U. of I. alumni

May 8, 2025 9:15 am

Paralympic multi-medalist Susan Hagel and the 2004 gold-medal-winning women’s wheelchair basketball team (including ten members from Illinois) were among those selected for induction this summer.

Eric Schmidt - shown pouring a cold beer from a tap. For the second year in a row, Craft Beer & Brewing named Orange & Brew, a bar founded by Eric and his wife, Carrie, to its top 10 “Best Beer Bars Around the World.” (Image by Scott Thompson)

For Illini in Chicago, it's like Cheers

Jan 8, 2025 10:30 am

Eric and Carrie Schmidt’s Illini-themed bar, Orange & Brew, earns local—and international—recognition.

Named after its proprietor, the U of I football and Chicago Bears defensive back, Stan Wallace’s Gridiron was a local institution in the 1960s and ’70s. (Image courtesy of Illini Media)

Hangouts: Favorite bars, restaurants and other haunts through the decades

Dec 19, 2024 9:30 am

It’s 1933: Prohibition is ending after 13 inglorious years, and on Daniel Street in Champaign, Kamerer’s Pharmacy is expanding—opening a fried chicken restaurant in the building next door. U of I students call it 'KAMS.'

Aeriel view of Memorial Stadium on a game day

Rededication game’s pregame and halftime festivities announced

Oct 16, 2024 4:30 pm

Fans are encouraged to get to their seats by 2 p.m. to catch a special pregame game ball presentation with Illini legends.

graphic for "An Evening with YouTube co-founder Steve Chen"

Watch 'An Evening with Steve Chen,' alumnus and YouTube co-founder

Aug 28, 2024 4:30 pm

Steve Chen shares insights from his journey from U. of I. student to tech innovator, offering a firsthand account of the entrepreneurial path that led to YouTube's creation. He was on campus on August 26.

Russell Wigginton stands at a protest exhibit at the National Civil Rights Museum. (Image by Ariel Cobbert)

Alumnus Russell Wigginton: 'My whole career has been a dream job'

Jul 5, 2024 10:15 am

Russell Wigginton believes that his history, experience and passion all led him to becoming president of the National Civil Rights Museum. 'It’s a fascinating, beautiful culmination of my life and experiences to end up in this job.'

Internationally renowned architect Jeanne Gang believes architecture can connect people to each other, their environment and their communities. She is the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Commencement speaker and an Illinois alumna.

Commencement speaker, architect Jeanne Gang, designs buildings that connect people, nature and communities

May 8, 2024 3:00 pm

Internationally renowned architect Jeanne Gang believes architecture can connect people to each other, their environment and their communities. She is the U. of I. Commencement speaker and an Illinois alumna.

Arte Johnson famously played Wolfgang in "Laugh-In." — Courtesy of the Johnson family.

Late 'Laugh-In' brothers Arte, Coslough Johnson share comedy history with U of I Library

Nov 29, 2023 11:45 am

The brothers each have donated artifacts to the University Library from Emmy Award-winning work on Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In, which aired 1968-73 on NBC, and for which Arte was an actor and Coslough was a writer.

orange-tinted photo of an older Dick Butkus with text, "Dick Butkus, 1942 - 2023"

Illini Football legend Dick Butkus passes away at 80

Oct 6, 2023 10:00 am

Dick Butkus, regarded as the greatest linebacker in football history, passed away at his home in Malibu, California. As an Illini, Butkus played center on offense, linebacker on defense and led the team to the 1963 Big Ten title and a Rose Bowl victory.

alumna Joanne Lee Molinaro. Photo provided.

Alumna Joanne Lee Molinaro, ‘The Korean Vegan,’ to give talk, cooking demo

Sep 7, 2023 12:30 pm

'The Korean Vegan' – a lawyer, TikTok star and best-selling cookbook author – will speak and give a cooking demonstration on Sept. 21 at Krannert Center for the Performing Arts as part of the PYGMALION festival.

70s-era crew at WPGU. Image courtesy Illini Media Group

WPGU: Playing the sounds of summer since 1953

Aug 3, 2023 10:45 am

'It was the best learning laboratory that I ever could have asked for, and to this day, my college friends forever regard me as ‘cool’ because of what I did at WPGU.'

Alumna Ann Thayer Weldy helped readers find comfort—and themselves—in her books

Jul 26, 2023 12:15 pm

To the world, she became Ann Bannon, the name under which she published six lesbian pulp fiction novels. Over sixty years later, these books remain fundamental to the LGBTQ canon.

Martin Eberhard speaking with students at the Illinois Street Residence Halls

Q&A with Tesla co-founder, U of I alumnus Martin Eberhard

Jun 5, 2023 9:00 am

When Martin Eberhard visited campus, we spoke with him about his memories of campus, advice for students and aspiring entrepreneurs, and the future of electric vehicles.

A section of the MoonArk shows a portion of the four chambers. Image credit: Dylan Vitone, Carnegie Mellon University.

Alumni create MoonArk, a tiny museum bound for the moon

Apr 20, 2023 1:15 pm

At only eight inches high and two inches in diameter, the metal MoonArk sculpture has four stacked chambers packed with hundreds of images, poems, music, mechanisms, earthly samples, and nano-objects.

U of I alumna Brittney Nadler. Image from her blog during a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship in Thailand

Illinois alum awarded Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellowship

Jan 26, 2023 4:15 pm

Brittney Nadler will complete a summer internship at the State Department in 2024 and an overseas internship at a U.S. embassy or consulate in summer 2025. Upon successful completion of the program, Nadler will become a U.S. diplomat.

Duck Choo Oh shared her memories of being the first Korean-born Homecoming Queen at the University of Illinois—and perhaps the first in the nation—during a virtual centennial celebration hosted by the UI Alumni Association, Korea Chapter. (Images courtesy of UI Archives)

Great friends, beautiful memories: UIAA's Korea Chapter celebrates 100 years

Jan 24, 2023 10:30 am

Duck Choo Oh’s Homecoming coronation in 1955 symbolized the blossoming of an international era for the University of Illinois. The seeds of that growth started nearly five decades earlier with President Edmund Janes James (1904–20).

A countdown made possible by computing

Jan 4, 2023 11:45 am

Alumnus Ken Jacobs talks about his role in NASA's Artemis I launch on November 16 – the first in a series of missions to build a long-term human presence on the moon, Mars and beyond.

Dr. George R. Carruthers (right) and his colleague William Conway examine the Lunar Surface Ultraviolet Camera designed by Carruthers for the Apollo 16 lunar mission. Photo Credit: U.S. Naval Research Laboratory

NASA renames GLIDE mission after trailblazing U of I alumnus

Dec 5, 2022 12:45 pm

As one of the first African American men to earn a PhD in astrophysics, George Carruthers was a trailblazer. He invented the camera that took the first images of space, significantly improving our understanding of space and earth science.

MiMi Aung, alumna and lead project manager for Ingenuity, stands next to the trophy

Two alumnae, team share NASA award for 'major milestone in the history of flight'

Jul 13, 2022 11:30 am

NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab Ingenuity Mars Helicopter team received the 2021 Robert J. Collier Trophy for 'the first powered, controlled flight of an aircraft on another planet, thereby opening the skies of Mars and other worlds for discovery and exploration.'

Russell Wigginton stands for a picture at the Lorraine Motel

Q+A with alumnus Russell Wigginton, president of the National Civil Rights Museum

Jun 21, 2022 9:30 am

From academia to public service, Russell Wigginton has led a career driven by a passion to assist others and build relationships – traits he’s carried since he was a student at Illinois.

Taylor Rooks (Photo by Raven B. Varona.)

Rooks receives College of Media Emerging Leader Award

Jun 1, 2022 10:15 am

Taylor Rooks, sports broadcaster at Bleacher Report, is known for her interviewing skills and for her ability to connect with athletes. This award honors her exemplary early career achievements and engagement with the college.

image of Sheila Johnson beside graphic announcing her role in the Title IX Summit planned for this summer.

Alum Sheila Johnson, co-founder of BET, to keynote Title IX summit

May 17, 2022 9:45 am

'Sheila has been a pioneer in every sense of the word, breaking new ground throughout the course of her life in education, media, business, and sports,' said DIA Director Josh Whitman. 'Sheila has always been a proud Illini...'

side-by-side images of Pulitzer medal and alumnus Eli Murray. Composite image by Holly Rushakoff

Alumnus Eli Murray wins Pulitzer Prize with ‘Tampa Bay Times’ team

May 10, 2022 4:15 pm

Murray, and his colleagues won for their series 'Poisoned,' an exposé of highly toxic hazards inside Florida’s only battery recycling plant that forced the implementation of safety measures to protect workers and nearby residents.

former Illini leaps at the net while playing for the U.S. Olympic Volleyball team

Poulter named to U.S. Women’s Volleyball roster for 2022 VNL

May 12, 2022 9:00 am

Former U of I All-American, Olympic Gold Medalist Jordyn Poulter will join the U.S. Women's National Team's roster this year. The U.S. Women are three-time league champions, 2020 Olympic gold medalists, and the No. 1-ranked team in the world.

Terrell Jermaine Starr in flak jacket and helmet with the word 'press' in large print on the front of his jacket

War correspondent, alumnus Terrell Jermaine Starr on reporting from Ukraine

Apr 13, 2022 11:15 am

Terrell Jermaine Starr will visit U of I to talk about his experiences as a journalist reporting from Ukraine during the Russian invasion. The event is free and open to the public on April 19 in the auditorium of the new Campus Instructional Facility.

How blockchain is disrupting business applications, personal identity

Mar 14, 2022 11:00 am

Those exploring the impact of blockchain on their business and personal lives should proceed with caution, according to a U of I alumnus who has pioneered enterprise blockchain technology and the adoption of digital assets.

New HOF inductees Nelson Algren, 'Buck' Brown and Susan Smith Cornwell

Meet the Illini Media Hall of Fame Class of 2022

Feb 16, 2022 11:15 am

Journalists who documented history from World War II to the 2020 election, exposed the 'abortion underground' and covered the LGBTQ experience. A Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist, TV legends, an artist best known for drawing 'Naughty Granny.'

Built in 1897, The Forum in Bronzeville was one of the most important assembly/performance halls in the city. Photo by Emily Barney via Flickr

Alumna works to preserve, celebrate African American history in Bronzeville

Feb 10, 2022 10:15 am

'I started the Bronzeville Historical Society with the assistance of family and friends in 1999...because my daughters grew tired of hearing me tell them about the many notable people and places in the Bronzeville community,' says Sherry Williams.

Derek Hoot and Martinez Johnson point to the "Push Podcast" logos on their shirts. (submitted photo)

Alumni launch wheelchair basketball podcast

Feb 1, 2022 8:45 am

Former Illini players Derek Hoot and Martinez Johnson have started “Push Podcast: Wheelchair Basketball in the United States” to reach those who have never heard of adaptive sports.

Vilas Dhar, a 2004 graduate of the Grainger College of Engineering at Illinois

Vilas Dhar: Investing in tech to create lasting social change

Jan 24, 2022 10:30 am

'As we push to center technology on people, rather than products, we tap into a vast opportunity to amplify the very best of our humanity, creativity, and innovation.'

Aadeel Akhtar and the 'bionic hand' produced by his company, Psyonic. Photo credit SKOT WIEDMANN

Newsweek's 'Medical Marvels': U of I alum and his affordable bionic hand

Dec 16, 2021 11:00 am

Newsweek (Dec. 15) Aadeel Akhtar's company makes smart, durable, responsive and - this is key - affordable prosthetic limbs. 'We're... leveling the playing field for all those people who couldn't get access to this kind of technology before.'

file photo of College of Education students on their study abroad trip c. 2016

New program sends College of Education alumni abroad with students

Oct 27, 2021 9:45 am

'We want to make study abroad just like all the rest of our teacher training, which relies heavily on the mentor teacher,' says director of international programs Allison Witt. 'It makes a lot of sense because it benefits both alumni and students.'

Capt. Lynn Rippelmeyer, ’72 LAS, retired as a captain with Continental in 2014. (Image by Jenn Duncan)

First woman to fly a transoceanic jumbo jet on breaking through the 'glass cockpit'

Sep 30, 2021 10:15 am

'As I quizzed those pilots—and later studied a pilot’s training manual one of them gave to me to “answer questions without bothering people”—I realized they weren’t doing anything I couldn’t do,' says U of I alumnus Lynn Rippelmeyer.

Graphic for story title, 'Resiliency on the MOther Road'

Two alums shed light on the Black experience on Rt. 66

Sep 9, 2021 1:15 pm

Gina Lathan (AHS ’20) and Stacy Grundy (ACES ’10) opened Route History, a tourist destinations in Springfield gives visitors a different perspective on the Mother Road as well as a look into the history of Black struggle and success in the state capital.

Artist’s conception of an urban air mobility environment, where air vehicles, with or without onboard pilots, carrying out a variety of missions can interact safely and efficiently. Credit: NASA

Making air traffic safe for real-life George and Jane Jetsons

Jul 15, 2021 2:45 pm

'Because these flights will operate in major metro cities...there's going to be a lot of potential for interaction between the urban air mobility flights and the commercial air traffic,' says aerospace engineering alumna Heather Arneson.

Col. Archambault back on campus for his Aerospace Academic Advisory Board meeting.

Interview with alumnus, astronaut Lee Archambault

Jul 7, 2021 6:00 pm

'The research is phenomenal. The instruction is outstanding. The faculty we have here is second to none. This is an engineering program that was always great and it’s even better than it was when I was here. It continues to improve.'

Passes for 22nd annual Ebertfest now on sale

Jun 9, 2021 10:45 am

Festival passes cover all of the screenings during the festival, which runs September 8-11 at the Virginia Theatre, a restored downtown Champaign movie palace, with related talks and panel discussions at other Champaign or University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign venues.

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