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...
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...
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 served as Interim Dean and Acting Dean for the...
N. Jonne Brown joined the staff of the College of Engineering in the 1970s. Dean Brown was instrumental in recruiting and mentoring African American students and women in the College of Engineering. 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 was a...
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...
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...
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...
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.The Women in History Wednesday content comes from the...
Terry Hite David joined the University of Illinois in 1968 as part of the Project 500 group. She played for the women’s volleyball team before Title IX was enacted. After earning a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education in 1972, she left the university briefly but returned to complete her master’s degree in administration in 1975. During her master’s studies, Terry became the head coach of the...
Alyce Cheska began working in Kinesiology and Community Health at the University of Illinois in 1966, serving as Head of the Women’s Physical Education Department until 1970. She also held an affiliate professor role in Anthropology, focusing on the anthropology of play and sport, before retiring in 1987. Alyce was the first female faculty representative for athletics to the Big Ten Conference...