Convocations By Year

61st Convocation - Kannert Center for the Performing Arts, Champaign

Bonnie Blair
Sandra Cisneros
Jeanne Gang
Janice K. Jackson, EdD
Carol Marin
Julieanna L. Richardson

61st Convocation Video Photo Galleries

Press Release Printed Program Sponsors

60th Convocation - Chicago History Museum, Chicago

Evelyn Brandt Thomas
Lewis Collens
Hon. Rita B. Garman (ret.)
Alison Krauss
Lester H. McKeever, Jr.
Raul I. Raymundo
James H. Thome

60th Convocation Video Ceremony Photo Gallery Reception Photo Gallery

Press Release Printed Program Sponsors

59th Convocation - House Chambers, Illinois State Capitol

His Eminence Wilton Cardinal Gregory
Karen Hasara
John W. Rogers, Jr.
Thomas E. Skilling III
Jayne Carr Thompson
Paula Wolff

59th Convocation Video Photo Gallery

58th Convocation - Campus of Elmhurst University

William J. Brodsky
Debra Cafaro
Rebecca Carlisle Doyle
John McCarter
Martha C. Nussbaum
Justice Robert R. Thomas

58th Convocation & Investiture of Laureates Video Photo Gallery

57th Convocation - Chicago History Museum

Joanne C. Smith, MD
Captain Scott Altman (US Navy retired)
Carol Ross Barney
Major General John Borling
John Andrew McQuown
Professor John Rogers
Tommy Shimoda
Mavis Staples

Press Release Photo Gallery

56th Convocation - Illinois State University, Normal

Paul Collins
Robert Fraley
Donald McHenry
Mavis Staples

Laureates Announced

55th Convocation - new University of Illinois at Springfield Student Union, Springfield

Jerry Colangelo
Edgar J. Curtis, FACHE
Sheila Crump Johnson
Benjamin K. Miller
Olufunmilayo Olopade, M.D.
George F. Will

Convocation Program 2019 Laureate Convocation Video Chancellors Speech PDF

Laureates Announced Convocation Sponsors Photo Gallery

54th Convocation - Coronado Theatre, Rockford, Major General John Borling (USAF-ret) and Myrna Borling, Co-Chairs

Emily Bear
Dick Butkus
Steven Shih Chen
Mellody Hobson
The Reverend Michael J. Garanzini, S.J.
Edward L. McMillan
Dr. Louis Philipson
David Rydell

2018 Laureate Convocation Video Musical Performances Convocation Program

Laureates Announced Acceptance Speeches Photo Gallery

53th Convocation - Robert R. McCormick Theater, Chicago History Museum, Chicago, David Casper, President and CEO, BMO Harris Bank and Jane Casper, Co-Chairs

Frank Clark
Richard Driehaus
The Honorable James Holderman
R. Eden Martin
Ryne Sandberg
Samuel Knox Skinner
Harrison Steans*

Press Release Chancellor's Remarks Acceptance Speeches

Laureate Convocation Video Photo Gallery Supporters

52nd Convocation - Peoria Marriott Pere Marquette, Peoria, Douglas R. Oberhelman, Douglas S. Stewart, David and Alexandra Ransburg, Co-Chairs

Nancy Goodman Brinker – Social Services
Robert Gilmore – Business, Industry & Communications
Raymond LaHood – Government & Law
Leo Melamed – Business, Industry & Communications
Scott Simon – Business, Industry & Communications
Kevin Stein – The Arts & The Performing Arts / Education

Laureates Announced Laureate Convocation Video Photo Gallery Supporters

51st Convocation - Chamber of the Illinois House of Representatives, Springfield, Susan J. Koch and Edgar J. Curtis, Co-Chairs

Arthur H. Bunn – Business, Industry & Communications
Ertharin Cousin – Social Services
J. Roland Folse – Medicine & Science
Sara Vaughn Gabbard – The Arts & The Performing Arts / Education
Gary Slutkin– Medicine & Science / Education
W. Russell Withers, Jr. – Business, Industry & Communications (Posthumous award)

Laureate Convocation Video Convocation Program Press Release Photo Gallery

50th Convocation - Field Museum of Chicago, Ellen & James O'Connor, Chairs

John A. Canning, Jr. – Business & Industry
Michael Krzyzewski – Sports
Newton N. Minow – Government & Law
Bernard Rands and Augusta Read Thomas – The Arts
Hillary Rodham Clinton – Government
Donald Senior, C.P. – Religion
Glenn F. Tilton – Business & Industry

Laureate Convocation Video Press Release Press Release Supporters

49th Convocation - Rock Island Centennial Hall & Wallenberg Hall on Augustana College Campus, Mrs. Jane & President Steven Bahls, and Marsha & Samuel Allen, Chairs

Brenda C. Barnes – Business & Industry
William Hammer – Education
G. Timothy Johnson – Communications
Robert Lane – Business & Industry
Robert Ontiveros – Business & Industry
Chad Pregracke – Social Service

Laureate Convocation Video Press Release Photo Gallery Supporters

48th Convocation - Springfield House of Representatives Chamber & PNC Bank Atrium, Wanda & Don Tracy, Chairs

Jean Driscoll W. – Sports
James Farrell – Business & Industry
James A. Lovell, Jr. – Government
Naomi Burgos Lynn – Education
Robert J. Miller* – Government
William R. Schnirring – Business & Industry
N. Ronald Thunman – Government

Convocation Video Laureate Video Press Release Photo Gallery Supporters

47th Convocation - Urbana Krannert Center for Performing Arts University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Dr. & Mrs. Stanely Ikenberry, and President & Mrs. Micheal Hogan, Chairs

Richard Gray and Mary Lackritz Gray – The Arts
Shahid R. Khan – Business & Industry
Shirley R. Madigan – The Arts
Dawn Clark Netsch * – Government & Law
Timothy J. Nugent * – Education & Social Service

Convocation Video Honor Roll Press Release

Announcement News Gazette Supporters

46th Convocation - Chicago Rubloff Auditorium The Art Institute of Chicago, Dia Weil and Maureen Dwyer Smith, Chairs

William J. Bauer – Government & Law
Doris K. Christopher – Business
Mary A. Dempsey – Education
Mannie Jackson – Sports
The Joffrey Ballet – The Arts
Lester B. Knight, III – Business

Convocation Video Press Release

45th Convocation - Springfield Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum, Jane Denes and Julie Kellner, Chairs

Jean H. Baker – Bicentennial Laureate
Gabor Boritt – Bicentennial Laureate
Michael Burlingame – Bicentennial Laureate
Richard Carwardine – Bicentennial Laureate
Julie Cellini – Bicentennial Laureate
Cullom Davis – Bicentennial Laureate
Eric Foner – Bicentennial Laureate
Allen C. Guelzo – Bicentennial Laureate
Harold Holzer – Bicentennial Laureate
Charles M. Hubbard – Bicentennial Laureate
Ron Keller – Bicentennial Laureate
Philip B. Kunhardt III and Peter W. Kunhardt – Bicentennial Laureates
John McClarey – Bicentennial Laureate
Edna Greene Medford – Bicentennial Laureate
LeRoy Neiman* – Bicentennial Laureate
Don Pollack – Bicentennial Laureate
Robert Provost Jr. – Bicentennial Laureate
Bob Rogers – Bicentennial Laureate
Thomas F. Schwartz – Bicentennial Laureate
Jack Smith – Bicentennial Laureate
Lowell and Rhoda Sneller – Bicentennial Laureate
Louise Taper – Bicentennial Laureate
Dr. Wayne C. Temple – Bicentennial Laureate
Lily Tolpo – Bicentennial Laureate
Daniel R. Weinberg – Bicentennial Laureate
Frank J. Williams – Bicentennial Laureate
Douglas L. Wilson – Bicentennial Laureate
Rodney O. Davis – Bicentennial Laureate

Convocation Video Honor Roll Lincoln Bicentennial

44th Convocation - Carbondale Shyrock Auditorium Southern Illinois University, Ethel Holladay and Peter Alexander, Chairs

David Herbert Donald * – Communication and Education
Irl F. Engelhardt – Business and Industry
Joel M. Flaum – Government and Law
William R. Norwood – Education and Social Service
Kenneth A. Shaw – Education
Thomas M. Siebel – Business and Social Service

Convocation Video Photo Gallery

43rd Convocation - Chicago James Simpson Theatre The Field Museum, Courtney Shea, Chair

Judith S. Block – Social Service
Norman R. Bobins – Business
Rev. Dr. John M. Buchanan – Religion
Mary Ann G. McMorrow * – Government and Law
Linda Johnson Rice – Business, Industry and Communications

Convocation Video Photo Gallery

42nd Convocation - Springfield Sangamon Auditorium University of Illinois Springfield, Jane Denes, Chair

Rev. Thomas J. Behrens – Social Service
Richard H. Moy * – Education, Medicine and Science
William A. Osborn – Business and Social Service
Garry Wills – Communication and Education
The Zhou Brothers – The Arts

Convocation Video Photo Gallery

41st Convocation - Edwardsville Dunham Theatre Southern Illinois University, Susan & Vaughn Vandegrift, Chairs

Edward A. Brennan * – Business and Social Service
David S. Broder * – Communications
Nick Holonyak, Jr. – Science
George E. Inglett – Agriculture and Science
Jacqueline Joyner-Kersee – Sports
Stephanie Pace Marshall – Education

Convocation Video Photo Gallery

40th Convocation - Chicago Rubloff Auditorium Chicago Historical Society, Andrea Hasten, Chair

Michael Beschloss – Communications and Education
Harry L. Crisp, II – Business
George A. Ranney, Jr. – Business and Social Services
Louis “Studs” Terkel * – Communications
Ernest R. Wish – Social Services

Convocation Video Photo Gallery

39th Convocation - Normal Braden Auditorium Illinois State University

Sister Rosemary Connelley, RSM – Religion and Social Service
Ronald J. Gidwitz – Business and Education
John W. Maitland, Jr. – Government
Sherrill Milnes – Performing Arts
Edward B. Rust – Business
Rev. Dr. Addie L. Wyatt – Religion and Labor

Convocation Video Photo Gallery

38th Convocation - Springfield Sangamon Auditorium University of Illinois Springfield

Frank W. Considine * – Business and Social Services
Lou Conte – The Performing Arts
Jack M. Greenberg – Business
Rabbi Herman E. Schaalman * – Religion
Bernard Shaw * – Communications
James B. Stewart – Communications

Convocation Video Photo Gallery

37th Convocation - Chicago Rubloff Auditorium The Art Institute of Chicago

M. Cherif Bassiouni * – Government and Law
Henry B. Betts * – Medicine
Roger Ebert * – Performing Arts
Marian F. (Cindy) Pritzker – Social Services
Orion Samuelson – Communications and Agriculture
Rev. John P. Smyth – Social Services

Convocation Video

36th Convocation - Springfield Gwendolyn Brooks Illinois State Library

Lynn Martin – Government
Monsignor Ignatius McDermott * – Religion
Andrew J. McKenna – Social Services
Robert Eugene Richards – Sports
Harold B. Steele – Agriculture
Scott F. Turow – Communications

Convocation Video

35th Convocation - Urbana-Champaign Krannert Center for the Performing Arts University of Illinois

Lester Crown – Business and Social Services
Jim Edgar – Government
Robert D. Novak * – Communications
Stansfield Turner * – Government

Convocation Video

34th Convocation - Chicago James R. Thompson Center

Peter B. Bensinger – Government
Preston Jackson – The Arts
Martin E. Marty – Religion
Patrick G. Ryan – Business
John M. D. Shalikashvili * – Government
Paul Simon * – Government

Convocation Video

33rd Convocation - Springfield House of Representatives Illinois State Capitol

Gwendolyn Brooks * – Communications
Leonard H. Lavin * – Business and Industry
Ramsey E. Lewis, Jr. * – The Performing Arts
Robert H. Michel* – Government
Jerry M. Reinsdorf – Business
Seymour Simon * – Law
Joesph Cardinal Bernardin * – Religion

Convocation Video

32nd Convocation - Evanston Pick-Staiger Concert Hall Northwestern University

Willard L. Boyd – Business and Education
Stanley O. Ikenberry – Education
Jeane J. Kirkpatrick * – Government
Sid Luckman * – Sports
Alan Schriesheim – Science

Convocation Video

31st Convocation - Carbondale Shyrock Auditorium Southern Illinois University

James S. Brady* – Government
Joseph B. Kirsner* – Medicine
William H. Kurtis – Communications
Robert H. Malott* – Business
Arnold W. Weber – Education

Convocation Video

30th Convocation - Springfield House of Representatives Illinois State Capitol

Alan J. Dixon * – Government
Robert W. Galvin * – Business and Industry
Steven R. Nagel * – Government
The Reverend John T. Richardson – Education
Kay Smith – The Arts
Anthony J. Watson – Government

29th Convocation - Chicago Merle Reskin Theatre DePaul University

Etta Moten Barnett * – The Performing Arts
John H. Byran – Business and Social Services
Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar * – Science
Lester E. Fisher – Science
Richard Hunt – The Arts
James J. O’Connor – Business and Social Services

Convocation Video

28th Convocation - Decatur Kirkland Fine Arts Center Millikin University

Marajen Stevick Chinigo * – Business and Social Services
William B. Graham * – Business
John O. Honnold, Jr. * – Government and Law
Paul C. Laterbur * – Science
Osvaldo I. Lopez – Medicine
W. Clement Stone * – Business and Social Services

27th Convocation - Springfield House of Representatives Illinois State Capitol

Arnold O. Beckman * – Business and Science
Harry A. Blackmun * – Government and Law
Gaylord * and Dorothy Donnelley * – Business and Social Services
Norman A. Ross * – Business and Communications
James R. Thompson – Government
Elmer H. Wavering * – Business

Convocation Video

26th Convocation - Chicago Rockefeller Chapel University of Chicago

Mortimer J. Adler * – Education and Communications
Marshall L. Burman * – Law
James S. Kemper, Jr. * – Business and Social Services
Leon M. Lederman – Science
James B. Stockdale * – Government
William C. Warfield * – The Performing Arts

25th Convocation - Normal Braden Auditorium Illinois State University

John C. Corbally * – Education
C.Geraldine Freund * – The Performing Arts and Social Services
Eugene D. Funk, Jr. * – Agriculture
Hanna Holborn Gray – Education
Elizabeth N. Paepcke * – Social Services

24th Convocation - Springfield House of Representatives Illinois State Capitol

Dwayne O. Andreas* – Agriculture
John Chancellor * – Communications
Abraham Lincoln Marovitz * – Law
Raymond Joseph Meyer * – Sports
Patrick L. O’Malley * – Business and Social Services

23rd Convocation - Chicago James R. Thompson Center

Michael Butler – The Performing Arts and Social Services
Paul Harvey * – Communications
Walter Massey – Science
Walter Payton * – Sports

22nd Convocation - Peoria Dingeldine Auditorium Bradley Univeristy

James Beré * – Business and Social Services
William Harrison Fetridge * – Business
Lawrence Rossi * – Medicine
Maria Tallchief * – The Performing Arts

21st Convocation - Springfield House of Representatives Illinois State Capitol

Ardis Krainik * – Business and The Performing Arts
Hiram Henry Lesar * – Law
Ruth Page * – The Performing Arts
Daniel James Terra * – The Arts

20th Convocation - Evanston Pick-Staiger Concert Hall Northwestern University

Leigh B. Block * – Business and Social Services
Virginia L. Marmaduke * – Communications
Arthur C. Neilsen, Jr. * – Business and Communications
John L. Strohm * – Agriculture and Communications

19th Convocation - Edwardsville Communications Building Theater Southern Illinois University

Thomas R. Mulroy * – Law
Ralph Geoffrey Newman * – Education
Mike Royko * – Communications
Bobby Short * – The Performing Arts

18th Convocation - Urbana-Champaign Krannert Center for Performing Arts University of Illinois

Donald L. Bitzer – Science
John R. Block – Government
Marva N. Collins * – Education
Delyte W. Morris * – Education

17th Convocation - Springfield House of Representatives Illinois State Capitol

Thomas G. Ayers * – Business and Social Services
James W. Cronin * – Science
Ronald W. Reagan * – Government
Adlai E. Stevenson III – Government
John T. Trutter * – Social Services

Convocation Video

16th Convocation - Chicago The Chicago Cultural Center

Paul Findley – Government
John Hope Franklin * – Education
Arthur Rubloff * – Business and Social Services

15th Convocation - Carbondale Shyrock Auditorium Southern Illinois University

John Baynard Anderson * – Government
Joan Walsh Anglund – Education and The Arts
William Alexander Hewitt * – Business and Social Services
Robert Stephen Ingersoll * – Government
Leon Orris Jacobson * – Science and Education
Albert Ernest Jenner, Jr. * – Law
Clayton Kirkpatrick * – Communications
Marjorie Lawrence * – The Performing Arts

14th Convocation - Springfield House of Representatives Illinois State Capitol

Robert Gehlmann Bone * – Education
Irving Lee Dillard * – Government and Education
Ann Landers * – Communications
Brooks McCormick * – Business and Social Services
Samuel Harvey Shapiro * – Government
William Grant Stratton * – Government
Daniel Walker – Government

13th Convocation - Peoria Scottish Rite Cathedral

Robert Todd Lincoln Beckwith * – Social Services
Charlton Heston * – The Performing Arts
Celeste Holm * – The Performing Arts
Otto Kerner, Jr. * – Government
Hyman George Rickover * – Government and Science
Archbishop Fulton John Sheen * – Religion

12th Convocation - Springfield House of Representatives Illinois State Capitol

Rev. Preston Bradley * – Religion
Gaylord Augustus Freeman, Jr. * – Business and Social Services
Louis Glodblatt * – Business
Burl Ives * – The Performing Arts
Edward Hirsh Levi * – Government
Louis Courtenay Sudler * – Business and The Performing Arts

11th Convocation - Lincoln Johnson Center for the Performing Arts Lincoln College

Samuel Weiler Witwer, Sr. * – Government and Law

10th Convocation - Chicago Orchestra Hall

9th Convocation - Moline Administration Center Deere and Company

8th Convocation - Springfield House of Representatives Illinois State Capitol

7th Convocation - Rockford Maddox Theatre Rockford College

6th Convocation -Springfield House of Representatives Illinois State Capitol

Paul McClelland Angle * – Education and Communications
Ernest (Ernie) Banks * – Sports
William J. Campbell * – Law
William Childs Westmoreland * – Government

5th Convocation - Chicago Palmer House

David Matthew Kennedy * – Business and Government

4th Convocation - Springfield House of Representatives Illinois State Capitol

Ivan LeLorraine Albright * – The Arts
John B. (Jack) Brickhouse * – Communications
Katherine Dunham * – The Performing Arts
Arthur Joseph Goldberg * – Government and Law
Most Reverend William Edward McManus * – Religion
Edward Larned Ryerson * – Communications and Social Services
Rabbi Jacob Joseph Weinstein * – Religion
Roy Wilkins * – Business

3rd Convocation - Springfield Senate Chambers Illinois State Capitol

William Carl Ackermann * – Science
Roger Adams * – Science
Paul Howard Douglas * – Government
Hugh Downs – Communications
Charles (Chick) Evans, Jr. * – Sports
The Fine Arts Quartet – Leonard Sorkin *, Abram Loft, George Sopkin *, Gerald Stanick – The Performing Arts
Richard Buckminster Fuller * – The Arts
John Simpson Hastings * – Law
Raymond Marcellus Hillard * – Social Services
Charles Brenton Huggins * – Science and Medicine
Mahalia Jackson * – The Performing Arts
Wayne Andrew Johnston * – Business
Irving (Kup) Kupcinet * – Communications
George Littlewood Luthy * – Business and Social Services
The Right Reverend James Winchester Montgomery * – Religion
Charles B. Shuman * – Agriculture
Martin Wagner * – Labor
Robert Elkington Wood * – Business

2nd Convocation - Chicago Chicago Historical Society

George Wells Beadle * – Science and Education
Edwin Carlos (Bill) Berry * – Business
Rev. Edgar Hugh Storer Chandler * – Religion
Everett McKinley Dirksen * – Government
Marshall Field IV * – Business
Carol Fox * – The Performing Arts
George Stanley Halas, Sr. * – Business and Sports
Ben Walter Heineman, Sr. * – Business
John Harold Johnson * – Business and Communications
Karl Albert Meyer * – Medicine
Ludwig Mies van der Rohe * – The Arts
Franklin Faller Offner * – Science
James Michael Roche * – Business
Walter Vincent Schaefer * – Government and Law
Robert Martin Trueblood * – Business
Benjamin Coppage Willis * – Education

1st Convocation - Chicago Chicago Historical Society

John Bardeen * – Science
Joseph Leopold Block * – Business and Law
John Stephen Boyle * – Government and Law
Richard Gibbs Browne * – Education
Avery Brundage * – Sports
James Edwards Day * – Business
Rudolph Ganz * – The Performing Arts
William Henry (Bill) Mauldin * – Communications
His Eminence Albert Cardinal Meyer * – Religion
Nathan Mortimer Newmark * – Science
William Alan Patterson * – Business
Ward Louis Quaal * – Communications
Adlai Ewing Stevenson II * – Government

Created in 1992 by Governor Jim Edgar to recognize early contributions to our state’s heritage prior to the establishment of the Lincoln Academy of Illinois.