As more than 22,000 recent graduates of the three universities within the University of Illinois System embark on the next chapter of their lives, System President Tim Killeen emphasizes the value of higher education in shaping responsible and impactful individuals.
During his presentation at the University of Illinois Board of Trustees’ regular meeting, Killeen stressed the importance of college education in preparing individuals to make a positive impact in their communities and beyond.
“The spirit of higher education done right is so much more than fact-based rote learning, as we know,” Killeen said. “It’s grappling with ideas, learning to speak your mind while allowing others to do so, too – and to really hear them, whether you agree or not.
“We need this connected spirit to take on the challenges we share – how to feed the world amid a changing climate; the human right to breathe clean air and drink clean water; the need to bridge the divide in public life to live as a society; the need for economic opportunity that leaves no one behind.”
In a video presentation, three recent system graduates shared their personal experiences and highlighted the value of their education:
- Jeremiah Paprocki, who graduated from the University of Illinois Chicago with a bachelor’s in communications, is the public address announcer at Wrigley Field for Chicago Cubs games – the team’s first Black PA announcer, a role he began at age 21.
- Cherish Recera graduated from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign with bachelor’s degrees in both English and community health, and now works for Abbott as a social media community manager.
- Miguel Valente is a two-time graduate of University of Illinois Springfield – with a bachelor’s in political science and a master’s in public policy – and works as a fiscal officer for the city of Springfield’s Office of Budget & Management. He’s also a member of the Illinois National Guard.
A 2022 study found that one out of every 46 jobs in Illinois is supported by the activities of the universities and their students, and the U of I System generates $19 billion annually to the state’s economy through its research, medical, and entrepreneurial activities, along with the universities' students, visitors and alumni. About 80% of U of I System undergraduate students are Illinois residents, a majority of whom choose to live and work in the state after graduation.
The starting salaries for graduates of the three universities in this system are highly competitive, with average amounts of $74,974 at Urbana-Champaign, $63,355 at Chicago, and $55,390 at Springfield. These figures demonstrate the value of a college education, but Killeen emphasized the potential for these graduates to make a positive impact on society as a whole.
“To be engaged, to cast a vote that has the positive impact you desire – and just to live your life well – you need to be well-informed in a wide range of ways,” he said. “A good education develops a degree of media literacy and societal literacy that serves that need.”
Board actions
Also on Thursday, trustees established the Siebel School of Computing and Data Science within The Grainger College of Engineering at UIUC. The new school expands and elevates the existing Department of Computer Science.
The creation of the Siebel School, which is made possible by a previously announced $50 million gift by Thomas M. Siebel, will better accommodate the growing demand for computer science and data science education at UIUC.
Also Thursday, trustees appointed Matthew Fajack as vice chancellor for finance at UIC, effective May 17. Fajack most recently was vice president for finance and operations and university treasurer at the University of Alabama.
Finally, trustees appointed Robert Ehsan as the new head men’s basketball coach at UIC, effective May 17. He has been serving in a designate capacity since March 21. Ehsan was previously associate head coach of men’s basketball at Stanford University.
