Ingenious: The Best
When organizers of the Armour Institute in Chicago were seeking “the best man” to head their new library in 1893, they sought the advice of librarian Melvil Dewey, who created
From the Top
Welcome and congratulations on your new position. Can you share some of your impressions of Illinois? I’ve always known that this is a great place with great bones. When I
Memory Lane: Farm Aid at 40
It sounds like a familiar scene: Memorial Stadium, jam-packed on a cold, rainy autumn afternoon, a mass of people united by chattering teeth and their excitement about the product on
Illini 411: Who devised the Quad Cam?
A: The Quad Cam, which shows a 24/7 live feed of the Main Quad from atop Foellinger Auditorium, was installed in 2001 or 2002 by the Strategic Communications and Marketing
Illini 411: Is State Farm Center the world’s largest domed structure?
A: It was when the building opened in 1963, and it was a point of pride for architect Max Abramovitz, ’29 FAA. To build its famous concrete roof, crews erected
Illini 411: What was the first movie shot on campus?
A: The first “moving picture” shot on campus was the student-made, alumni-produced Pro Patria in 1916. Pro Patria (Latin for “for one’s country”) attempted to show a realistic depiction of
All the Pretty Horses
The thing about horses is that they’re—big. Large enough to trample a person underfoot. Horses can be curious, docile and loving. They can also rear, kick and gallop away uncontrolled.
Illini 411: I assume the U. of I. was originally known simply as the University of Illinois. When was Urbana-Champaign added and why?
A: Actually, the U. of I. was originally called the Illinois Industrial University—a reflection of its land-grant roots as an agriculture and engineering school. The I.I.U. changed its name to
Memory Lane: Hash Wednesday
Today, there are more than half-a-dozen pot dispensaries within a short drive of campus. But until 2020, when recreational marijuana use was legalized in Illinois, U. of I. students were
Illini 411: How does the university keep ground water out of the steam tunnels?
A: A torrential downpour? Melting snow and ice? No sweat. All nine miles of the underground steam tunnels, which connect many of the campus’ buildings and have been used as
