Student Laureates

50th

ANNIVERSARY
CELEBRATION

Event Information

Join us for our 50th Anniversary Celebration

SATURDAY, JULY 12, 2025

LEADERSHIP, TODAY AND TOMORROW

IN THE DAVID RUBENSTEIN FORUM
ON THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO CAMPUS

The Lincoln Academy of Illinois is celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Student Laureate program with a one-day event on Saturday, July 12, 2025. The full day will be structured as a symposium with Lincoln Laureates as featured panelists. There will be opportunity for key interactions as well as breakout sessions where your input will help shape future student initiatives.

Our Distinguished Speakers

Meet Our Distinguished Laureate Speakers

MORNING: LINCOLN LAUREATE PANEL

John W. Rogers, Jr. (2023)

In 1983, John founded Ariel Investments at 24 to focus on patient value investing in small and medium-sized companies. Today, he serves as Chairman and Co-CEO. John is on the board of directors of Nike, The New York Times Company, and Ryan Specialty, and the board of Trustees of the University of Chicago and the Obama Foundation. He received an AB in economics from Princeton University, where he was captain of the varsity basketball team.

Paula Wolff (2022)

Policy advisor at the Illinois Justice Project. Earlier in her career, she worked as policy director for Illinois Governors Richard Ogilvie and Jim Thompson and served as president of Governors State University. She serves on numerous boards, including Ariel Investments, the Johnson Foundation, and the Irving B. Harris Foundation. She has also served as chair of the Illinois Tollway and City Colleges of Chicago. With an undergrad degree from Smith College, she holds an MA and PhD from the University of Chicago.

Moderator: Lincoln Academy Rector Michelle Collins, President, Cambium LLC. She serves on the board of Ulta Beauty, CIBC, CIBC Bank US, and Ryan Specialty Holdings, Inc. A South Side native of Chicago, she graduated from Yale University and Harvard Graduate School of Business.

AFTERNOON: LINCOLN LAUREATE CONVERSATION

Carol Marin (2025)

A Peabody award-winning journalist and news anchor at WMAQ-TV, she is also a correspondent and investigative reporter for 60 Minutes and the Evening News with Dan Rather. She has received multiple Emmy Awards as well as two Alfred I. DuPont-Columbia Awards for exceptional reporting. An alumna of the University of Illinois, she is a Senior Faculty Fellow of the Center for Journalism Integrity & Excellence at DePaul University.

Interviewer: Lincoln Academy Regent Dennis Lyle, President and CEO, Illinois Broadcasters Association.

Schedule for the Day

8:30am

Check-in and Registration with continental breakfast

9:00am

Welcome Session - Chancellor Todd Shapiro

10:15am

Break

10:30am

Panel discussion with Lincoln Laureates John Rogers, Paula Wolff
- Lincoln Academy Rector Michelle Collins, moderator

11:45am

Break

Noon

Lunch - Tables with seating by universities

1:30pm

A conversation with Lincoln Laureate Carol Marin led by Lincoln Academy Regent Dennis Lyle

3:00pm

Interactive Breakout Sessions:

"Linking the Past (previously awarded student laureates) to the Future (new student laureates)"
"Sharing the Word with the Public"
Special Session for Academic Representatives

4:30pm

Closing session

5:30-7:30pm

Reception

Venue, Parking, & Accommodations

THE VENUE

The David Rubenstein Forum, 1201 E. 60th St, Chicago, provides a meeting space that promotes an open exchange of ideas and flexible event spaces. The convenient location on the University of Chicago campus allows easy access to a broad range of activities in the city before and after the one day Anniversary event.

PARKING

Free daily parking is available on the streets along East 60th Street and Midway Plaisance.

ACCOMMODATIONS

A block of hotel rooms has been reserved at The Study, next door to the David Rubenstein Forum at 1227 E. 60th Street, Chicago, IL. 773-643-1600.

To reserve a room at the special discounted rate of $229/night, please use this link to make your reservation by May 25th: https://shorter.me/DO8WV.

Overnight valet parking for hotel guests is available for $50 per day.

REGISTRATION

HOTEL RESERVATION

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The Importance of

A STUDENT LAUREATE

Each fall, an outstanding senior from each of the four-year degree-granting institutions of higher learning in Illinois is awarded the Abraham Lincoln Civic Engagement Award. The Governor bestows the awards. They become Student Laureate of The Lincoln Academy of Illinois. In the spirit of Lincoln, Student Laureates are honored for their leadership and service in the pursuit of the betterment of humanity and for overall excellence in curricular and extracurricular activities.

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SEARCH BY

STUDENT LAUREATE CONVOCATION

Search through the list of convocations to take a look at the available photo galleries, press releases, programs, and other pertinent literature celebrating the chosen Student Laureates of the Lincoln Academy of Illinois.

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SEARCH STUDENT LAUREATES

BY COLLEGE & UNIVERSITY

The most noteworthy seniors are chosen as Student Laureates of the Lincoln Academy of Illinois to annually represent each of the participating Illinois colleges and universities. One student representative is chosen for all the state’s community colleges.

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