Annette Lu Hsiu-lien
Annette Lu Hsiu-lien graduated from the University of Illinois with a degree in Law in 1971. She established herself as a feminist advocate in Taiwan through her writing, including a book titled, New Feminism. She was an advocate for democracy in Taiwan and imprisoned for over five years for speaking out against the government during the Kaohsiung Incident. While imprisoned, she wrote a novel titled, These Three Women that eventually was adapted for a TV screenplay. In 1993, she was elected to the Legislative Yuan and Magistrate of Taoyuan in 1997. She went on to become the Vice President of the Republic of China (Taiwan) from 2000 to 2008.
Carol Marin
Carol Marin graduated from the University of Illinois with a degree in English in 1970. As an alum, she became a Chicago anchorwoman. She was instrumental in the reporting that led to the indictment of Tennessee Governor Ray Blanton in 1976. Two years later, she joined WMAQ-TV in Chicago where she worked for almost 20 years. Carol has received multiple Peabody Awards and many other recognitions.
Evelyne Accad
Evelyne Accad began teaching at the University of Illinois in 1974 as an Assistant Professor in French and Comparative Literature. Evelyne was promoted to Associate Professor in 1979 and then full Professor in 1988. She was an adjunct professor in the African Studies Center, Women and Gender in Global Perspectives, the Women's Studies Center, the Middle East Studies, and the Campus honors program. She received many awards for her research and service including, the Prix International de Poesie Emmanuel Robles in 2006, the International Writer of the Year Award from IBC Cambridge in 2003, and the Fulbright Research and Teaching Award for Lebanon in 2002. Evelyne was one of the first scholars and feminists to speak out against genital mutilation and other crimes against women and her research focuses on gender inequality in Northern Africa. She established the Evelyne Accad and Paul Vieille Graduate Student award to assist University of Illinois students researching issues related to women in North Africa and the Middle East. Evelyne has also been involved in Beit el Hanane, a women’s shelter in Lebanon.
Jeanette McCollum
Jeanette McCollum joined the College of Education in 1976 and became influential in the Special Education Department. Now Professor Emeritus, she is a leader in research and personnel preparation in the fields of Early Intervention (EI) and Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE). In 1999, the Illinois Subdivision of the Division for Early Childhood of the Council for Exceptional Children (IDEC) instituted the Jeanette A. McCollum Award for Service to the Field in honor of Jeanette's research in these areas. Jeanette is currently working on an Early Reading First project called "Developing Early Language and Literacy in Danville."
Joan Huber
Joan Huber came to the University of Illinois in 1971, teaching a range of sociology courses as well as Introduction to Women’s Studies in the Social Sciences. She joined the Women’s Studies staff in 1978 as Director of the Women's Studies Office until 1980. She was the head of the Department of Sociology from 1979-1983. Joan also founded the School of Humanities in 1978. She served as president of Sociologists for Women in Society (1972-1974), the Midwest Sociological Society (1979-1980), and the American Sociological Association (1988-1989). Joan also received recognition and awards for excellence in teaching and scholarship; she was the recipient of the Jessie Bernard Award from the American Sociological Association in 1985.
oan L. Mitchell
Joan L. Mitchell came to the University of Illinois in 1969 as a physics graduate student and received her PhD in 1974. Immediately after receiving her PhD, Joan went to work for the IBM Corporation in the Exploratory Printing Technologies Group at the T.J. Watson Research Center. The holder of more than 70 patents, Joan was one of the top 20 inventors in IBM's research division. Her work was crucial to the development of coders and decoders used in data compression standards for facsimile machines, printers, and digital transmission of images. From 1987 to 1994, Joan was a leader in the Joint Photographic Experts Group, the organization that developed JPEG image compression. In 2011, she received the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineer's Masaru Ibuka Consumer Electronics Award for fundamental contribution to image compression in printing technology and digital imaging processing in consumer electronics. That same year, she also was inducted into the Hall of Fame for the College of Engineering.
Judith S. Liebman
Judith S. Liebman joined the Departments of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering and Civil Engineering as an assistant professor in 1972 and became a full professor in 1984. She served in several administrative positions on campus including as Acting Vice Chancellor for Research and Dean of the Graduate College in 1986. In 1987, she officially took on both positions. Judith won the College of Engineering's Everitt Award for Teaching Excellence in 1978 and 1986. She has also served on the Committee for Engineering Education of the National Academy of Engineering and the Advisory Committee for the National Science Foundation’s Engineering Directorate.
Linda C. Smith
Linda C. Smith graduated with a Master of Science from the Graduate School of Library and Information Science (GSLIS) in 1972, and received her PhD from the School of Information Studies at Syracuse University in 1979. Linda returned to GSLIS (now the School of Information Sciences) as an assistant professor in 1977. Currently a full professor, she has served as Interim Dean and Acting Dean for the School, and has been Associate Dean for Academic Programs since 1997. Linda has held positions in many library organizations, including the American Library Association and the Special Libraries Association.
N. Jonne Brown
N. Jonne Brown joined the College of Engineering’s staff in the 1970s. Dean Brown was instrumental in recruiting, retaining, mentoring, and increasing the presence of African American students and number of women in the College of Engineering at Illinois. She served as a staff liaison for UIUC's National Society of Black Engineers, and was a consistent and compassionate educator, mentor, and friend. Her impact on students in the College of Engineering was a motivating force for their success. Soft-spoken but persistent, Dean Brown became a valued liaison for students, faculty, and staff throughout the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana, Chicago, state-wide, and extended communities.
Paula Treichler
Paula Treichler joined the University of Illinois faculty in the 1970s and although she is officially retired, she continues to conduct research in social medicine, cultural and media studies, and feminist theory as a faculty member in the Institute of Communications Research (ICR), the Department of Gender and Women's Studies, and the College of Medicine. She has served on the Advisory Board of the Illinois Program for Research in the Humanities, the Modern Language Association's Commission on the Status of Women in the Profession, and as the Women's Liaison Officer of the Medical School to the Association of American Medical Colleges. In 1995, she was honored for research, teaching, and service with the College of Medicine's campus-wide Faculty Member of the Year Award. In 2000, she received the first Faculty Advisor Award from the Medical Scholars Program Advisory Council, and also took the position as Director of the ICR, where she served until she officially retired from the university in 2004. The same year she retired, Paula received the UIUC campus Award for Excellence in Graduate and Professional Teaching.
Shelia Crump Johnson
Shelia Crump Johnson graduated from the University of Illinois in 1970 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts. She was the first female African American cheerleader at the University of Illinois. In 1979, Shelia co-founded the ground breaking Black Entertainment Television (BET) network. She is also the Vice Chairman of Monumental Sports and Entertainment and the only African American woman to hold a stake in three professional sports teams: the NBA Wizards, the WNBA Mystics, and the NHL Capitals. She is a founder and CEO of Salamander Hotels & Resorts, and has served as Executive Producer on four documentary films. Other significant achievements include being appointed to the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities by former President Obama.
Susan Lindquist
Susan Lindquist graduated with a degree in Microbiology in 1971. She is one of the most respected molecular biologists in the world, now a professor at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Susan is also the co-founder of FoldRx, a pharmaceutical company, and the first female director of the Whitehead Institute of Biomedical Research at MIT. She received the National Medal of Science award in 2010, among many other awards and leadership positions. In 2002, Discover Magazine named Susan one of the Top 50 most important women in science.
Susan “Suze” Orman
Susan “Suze” Orman graduated from the School of Social Work in 1976 and went on to become an influential business icon, known for her financial advice, motivational speaking, writing, and television show. Suze is also the founder of the Suze Orman Financial Group. In 2009, she received an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from the U of I.
Nancy Goodman Brinker
Terry Hite David came to the University of Illinois as a sophomore in 1968 as part of the Project 500 group. As a student, she played for the women’s volleyball team before Title IX legislation existed. She graduated in 1972 with a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education, and received a master’s degree in 1975. While completing her master’s work, Terry became head coach of the women’s volleyball team, consequently becoming the first African American coach at the University. The year she started as coach was the first year the women’s volleyball team was affiliated with the Big Ten conference, allowing for the team to receive uniforms. In 2012, Terry received the Merit Award from the Varsity “I” Association.