Barbara Wilson came to Illinois in 2000 as a faculty member in the Department of Communication. She served as Department Head for six years, and during her tenure, the faculty size grew by 20%. She led initiatives to improve departmental relationships with alumni, create faculty mentoring programs, and increase the number and diversity of students in the undergraduate major. In 2009, Barb was named Vice Provost for Academic Affairs; in 2012, she was named executive vice provost for Faculty and academic affairs. In this role, Barb consulted on projects across the University, working with over a dozen deans; she served on numerous advisory committees, and she oversaw the Provost’s strategic initiatives across campus. In her year as Interim Chancellor, she earned the respect of faculty, students, and administration. Barb’s decision to serve the University as Executive Vice-President/Vice-President for Academic Affairs is a testament to her continued goal of serving the University of Illinois wherever she is needed.

Women featured in our weekly series are part of the 150 for 150 website Celebrating the Accomplishments of Women at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The website was created by the Gender Equity Council and the University Library to highlight women who have made significant achievements during their time at the University either as students, staff, faculty, or alumni.