Featured Alumni – Campus Instructional Facility (2024)

Max AbramovitzFAA, BS 1929Architect and collaborator on the United Nations complex, CIA headquarters and Philharmonic Hall at Lincoln Center1Marc AndreessenENG, BS 1994Inventor of the modern web browserLLSusan AveryENG, MS 1974; LAS, PHD 1978President of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution4William BakerENG, MS 1980Structural engineer of Burj Khalifa2Arnold BeckmanLAS, BS 1922; ENG, MS 1923; HON 1982Founder of Beckman Instruments1Eric BinaENG, BS 1986; MS 1988Inventor of the modern web browser1David Harold BlackwellLAS, BA 1938; MA 1939; PHD 1941; HON 1966Mathematician and first African American member of the National Academy of SciencesLLMaudelle Brown BousfieldLAS, AB 1906First African American woman graduate of University of Illinois Urbana- Champaign, and first African American principal at a Chicago public schoolLLSt. Elmo BradyLAS, PHD 1916First African American to earn a PhD in chemistry in the United StatesLLBetsy BrandtFAA, BFA 1996Actress4Nancy BrinkerLAS, BA 1968Founder of Susan G. Komen for the Cure and recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom1George CarruthersENG, BS 1961; MS 1962; PHD 1964Inventor of Far Ultraviolet Electrographic Camera used on Apollo 16LLIris ChangUNI, 1985; MEDIA, BSJ 1989New York Times bestselling author2Doris ChristopherACES, BS 1967Founder of Pampered Chef1Ollie Watts DavisFAA, MMUS 1982; AMUSD 1988Internationally-recognized vocalist and music conductor1Earl B. DickersonLAS, AB 1914Leading civil rights attorney and business executive2Jean DriscollLAS, BA 1991; AHS, MS 1993World-record holder, Paralympic gold medalist, and eight-time Boston Marathon champion3Martin EberhardENG, BS 1982; MS 1984Founder of Tesla MotorsLLRoger EbertMEDIA, BS 1964Pulitzer Prize winning movie critic2Dave EggersMEDIA, BSJ 2002Author, artist, and founder of McSweeney’s, an independent publishing company4Mohamed El-AshryLAS, MS 1963; PHD 1966Senior Fellow, Energy and Climate at the UN Foundation1Jeanne GangFAA, BS 1986Architect and founder of Studio Gang1Larry GiesBUS, BS 1988Founder and CEO of Madison Industries4William W. GraingerENG, BS 1919Founder of W.W. Grainger, Inc.2Temple GrandinACES, PHD 1989; HON 2004Author, livestock researcher, and autism spokesperson3Rolando Hinojosa-SmithLAS, PHD 1969Novelist, poet, and educator1Nick Holonyak, Jr.ENG, BS 1950; MS 1951; PHD 1954Inventor of the visible light LED3Michael HopkinsENG, BS 1992NASA Astronaut2John HouboltENG, BS 1940; MS 1942; HON 2005Aerospace engineer; developer of lunar-orbit rendezvous (LOR) crucial to moon landing3Freeman Hrabowski IIILAS, MA 1971; EDU, PHD 1975; HON 2004STEM educator; President of University of Maryland, Baltimore County4Judy HsuMEDIA, BSJ 1993Emmy Award winning news anchor4Joyce IngramLAW, JD 1981; LER, AM 1981First African American woman to earn both a LAW and LER degree at University of Illinois Urbana-ChampaignLLEd Jackson, Jr.FAA, MS 1972Architect and chief designer of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial1Mannie JacksonAHS, BS 1960; HON 2008Chairman and owner of the Harlem Globetrotters3Albert E. Jenner, Jr.LAW, JD 1930; HON 1981Senior counsel to the Warren Commission and special counsel to the House Judiciary Committee during Watergate2Donald JohansonLAS, BA 1966Paleoanthropologist best known for his discovery of “Lucy,” one of the most complete skeletons of Australopithecus afarensis known1Robert JohnsonLAS, BA 1968Co-founder of BET; Founder and chairman, The RLJ Companies4Sheila JohnsonFAA, BME 1970Co-founder of BET; President of WNBA Washington Mystics; CEO of Salamander Hotels and Resorts1Jawed KarimENG, BS 2004Co-founder of YouTube and first person to upload video to site1Fazlur KhanENG, MS 1953; MS 1955; PHD 1955Structural engineer and father of tubular design for skyscrapersLLShad KhanENG, BS 1971CEO of Flex-N-Gate; Owner of NFL Jacksonville Jaguars, PEL Fulham, and co-owner of All Elite Wrestling2Jack KilbyENG, BS 1947; HON 1988Co-inventor of the integrated circuit, the handheld calculator, and the thermal printerLLArvind KrishnaENG, MS 1987; PHD 1991CEO of IBM3Albert LeeATTENDED 1897-1898Advocate for African American students; Chief Clerk at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign2Ang LeeFAA, BFA 1980Academy Award-winning film director, producer, and screenwriter1Max LevchinENG, BS 1997Co-founder of PayPal and Affirm2Susan LindquistLAS, BS 1971Molecular biologist and pharmaceutical researcher4Bob MartinezLER, MA 1964Governor of Florida4Mary McDowellENG, BS 1986CEO of MitelLLTatyana McFaddenACES, BS 2013; EDU, EDM 201917-time Paralympian medalist; first person to win the Grand Slam (four World Major Marathons in the same year)2Lester McKeeverBUS, BS 1955Chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago1Herb McKenleyATTENDED 1949Gold medal Olympian3Edna Greene MedfordLAS, MA 1976Historian and Director for History of New York’s African Burial Ground Project2Joan MitchellENG, MS 1971; PHD 1974Co-inventor of the .jpeg3Nick OffermanFAA, BFA 1993Actor, writer, comedian, producer; co-founder of the Defiant Theatre company3Suze OrmanLAS, BA 1977; HON 2009Financial advisor and founder of Suze Orman Financial Group; New York Times bestselling author2Cesar PelliFAA, MARCH 1954Architect and designer of the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur and World Financial Center in NYCLLIrna PhillipsEDU, BS 1923Screenwriter, actress and inventor of American soap operas3Richard PowersLAS, BA 1978; MA 1980Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award winning author2Julie PrydeSW, BSW 1991; SW, MSW 1992Public health administrator4Sylvia PuenteLAS, BS 1980Executive Director of Latino Policy Forum1James “Scotty” RestonMEDIA, BS 1932; HON 1962Columnist and editor for The New York Times4Taylor RooksMEDIA, BSJ 2014Sports journalist4Reshma SaujaniLAS, BA 1996New York Times bestselling author; Founder and CEO of Girls Who Code3Julie ScottBUS, BS 1985President, CEO, and founder of CTS Impact4Tom SiebelLAS, BA 1975; BUS, MBA 1983; ENG, MS 1985;
HON 2006Founder of Siebel Systems and C3.ai3William Walter SmithLAS, BA 1900; BS 1907First African American graduate of University of Illinois Urbana- Champaign3Jeremy StoppelmanENG, BS 1999Co-founder and CEO of Yelp!1Parisa TabrizENG, BS 2005; MS 2007Computer “Security Princess” and Director of Engineering at Google1Lorado TaftLAS, BA 1879; MA 1880; HON 1929Sculptor of the Alma MaterLLLynne ThigpenLAS, BA 1970Tony Award-winning actressLLLinda TollefsonVETMED, BS 1978; DVM 1980Associate Commissioner for Foods and Veterinary Medicine, U.S. Food and Drug Administration1Wilma VaughtBUS, BS 1952First woman Air Force Brigadier General; first woman to deploy with a Strategic Air Command bombardment wing on an operational deploymentLLWassajaLAS, BS 1884First Native American student at University of Illinois Urbana- Champaign; doctor and founder of the Society of American Indians3Jack WelchLAS, MS 1959; PHD 1961Chairman and CEO of General Electric3Eddie WilliamsMEDIA, BS 1954President of the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies1Rosalyn YalowENG, MS 1942; PHD 1945Nobel Prize-winning physicistLL