Joining the University of Illinois Staff in 1980, she has been the head of the Entomology Department since 1992, and Swanlund Chair of Entomology since ‘96.

Alumni, Mary Temple Grandin, returned with her PhD to teach as an animal science professor. She is best known as being one of the first individuals to speak about her experience with autism. In 2010, she was one of TIME Magazine’s most influential people in the world, and in Feb.

Receiving the Outstanding Teaching Award in ‘81 and ‘82 as a graduate student, she moved on to have her work displayed in Phyllis Needlman Gallery in Chicago. As an alum, she is a well-known artist/photographer with several exhibitions and public appearances.

Earning her degree in architecture, Jeanne Gang founded Studio Gang Architects. She is known for the Aqua skyscraper and Nature Boardwalk. She was an International Rotary Fellow and has won many other awards.

Alumni Iris Chang earned her degree in Journalism. She later moved on to becoming a successful writer for the New York Times and a sensational author.

Earning her Master’s and her PhD from the Department of Anthropology, she returned as faculty. She has earned global recognition for her work in African American and Latino Studies.

Initially earning a Bachelor’s in Library Science and a Master’s in Social Work, Patricia Morey returned to campus to serve as the Director of the Women’s Resource Center from 1992 to June 2017.

Becoming the first Dean of Libraries and University Librarian from ‘99 to 2013, she was the first recipient of the Juanita J. and Robert E. Simpson University Library Deanship. She has received many awards and distinctions, and served as Interim Chief information Office from ‘06-’07.

Ramona Faith Oswald joined the University of Illinois faculty in 1998 and became a professor in 2001. She is a recognized leader in LGBT family life; she founded and co-chaired (1998-2003) the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Straight Alliance Focusgroup.

Renee Heiken Slone graduated from the University of Illinois in 1993 and then became the head coach for the women’s golf team at the University in 2006.

Reshma Saujani graduated from the University of Illinois in 1997 with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Speech Communication. She was the founder of the organization Girls Who Code, started in 2012.

Grentz joined the University of Illinois coaching staff in 1995, becoming the Head Coach for the Women’s Basketball team.

Nancy Abelmann joined the University of Illinois faculty in 1990, and was a scholar in Anthropology, Asian American Studies, East Asian Languages and Cultures, and Gender and Women’s Studies.

Maimouna Barro received her M.A. in African Studies in 1997 and her PhD in Education with a minor in Gender Relations in International Development (GRID) in 2005, both from the University of Illinois.

Burton became a Professor in the History Department at the University of Illinois in 2001. She has been a Catherine C. and Bruce A. Bastian Professor of Global and Transnational Studies since 2004, and became the Director of the Illinois Program for Research in the Humanities in 2016.