Tag: alumni

After retiring from Illinois, Jean Driscoll races toward a new challenge

Aug. 29, 2026 | Ethan Simmons

Jean Driscoll outside of Huff Hall on August 4, 2026. Driscoll is retiring from the University of Illinois for a new fundraising role in St. Louis. (Photo by Ethan Simmons)

Jean Driscoll wants you on her team.  

Whether you’re a colleague, friend, donor or stranger, sharing a nice dinner or a quick chat inside Huff Hall, Driscoll invites you into her world, mainly to learn more about yours.  

After roughly two-and-a-half decades working and learning at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign—including two brief exits and returns—Driscoll is retiring from her post as assistant dean for advancement for the College of Applied Health Sciences, a role she’s held since 2020 after coming back a second time. 

A new challenge is fast approaching: she’ll be fundraising for the Foundation for Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, but colleagues can rest assured that she will be working until the end of her appointment at Illinois on Aug. 31.  

Driscoll’s people-first personality has helped secure some of the finest gifts in the College of Applied Health Sciences’ history and woven enduring relationships with alumni who care deeply about the college’s mission.  

It’s easy to forget now, but at every phase of her life, Driscoll’s success was anything but guaranteed. The shy younger sister from Milwaukee born with spina bifida, a young athlete with budding talents, a college fundraiser who was “green as green could be.”  

“‘Team’ is a theme from my youth onward, where I was the last kid picked on the playground, to now, where I get to choose people for my team,” Driscoll said. “I’m carrying that torch and passing it along—as I transition away from the University of Illinois, I feel like I’m passing it toward each of the staff members here, a little bit to our alumni, donors and friends, and to my closest colleagues.”  

What has radiated from Driscoll on the last days of her U. of I. appointment is an appreciation for her place in history, a full respect for the layers of accessibility on this campus that were fought for by trailblazers before her, on the Illinois campus and beyond.  

“I try to live in this space of gratitude and try to remember that there are people, my predecessors both professionally and personally, who have laid a foundation so that I can be where I am,” she said.  

A reluctant advocate  

It took two years for Coach Marty Morse to persuade Jean Driscoll—who had become a world-class short-distance wheelchair racer with only a few years of training—to compete in the Boston Marathon. In 1990, she finally caved, “just to get him off my back.”  

“I’m sitting on the starting line, not believing I belonged in that race. How did I let Marty talk me into it?”  

Then, 26.2 miles later, Driscoll not only won, but broke the wheelchair marathon world record by almost seven minutes, clocking in at 1 hour, 43 minutes, 17 seconds. She thought it was a fluke: her Illinois teammate Ann Cody was supposed to win, she had been “killing” Driscoll in all the workouts.  

Imposter syndrome be damned; her life had changed forever.  

“All of a sudden, everybody wanted to hear what I had to say,” Driscoll said. “The spotlight was … it felt like a burden to bear in those first few years, because I was so shy.”  

She broke her own world record in the 1991 Boston Marathon on her way to seven straight wins in wheelchair marathoners’ most hallowed race. The spotlight intensified, and slowly, Driscoll’s understanding of her reach and voice began to shift.   

“I realized what an opportunity there was to help people understand what disability is and isn’t. It’s a characteristic, like hair color and eye color. It’s not a defining principle.” 

She has repeatedly returned to a form of that message, bringing her story back to the universal. Driscoll signs her autographs “Dream BIG and Work Hard!” That same phrase became the title of a children’s book based on her life story.  

By the time she retired from racing after the 2000 Sydney Games, she was caught on the opposite end, wondering whether there were enough spokespeople to “carry the message” for the disability community she had been preaching for the last decade. (“That was kind of selfish and self-centered, quite honestly—there have been plenty of people to carry this on,” she said.) 

Her retirement from racing allowed her to step into the role of global advocate. In the early 2000s, she traveled back and forth to Ghana several times to host wheelchair racing camps and help develop their para-athletics programs. In 2004, wheelchair racers Raphael Nkegbe and Ajara Busanga became the first Paralympians to represent Ghana in their country’s history, with Driscoll as a key mentor.  

Alison Davis got to see Driscoll’s athletic talents and personable nature while filming “Against the Wind,” a documentary on Driscoll’s return to competition. (Provided)

“There are so many places around the world where, if you have a disability, you are considered to have no value, no rights, no education,” Driscoll said. “We have alumni who have done these big things, and every generation has students and alumni and faculty who are making a difference in our country and in the world.” 

The subject of Illinois journalism instructor Alison Davis’ first long-form documentary was Driscoll’s return to competition in 1996 after she broke her leg the prior year. Media attention was at its zenith, and Driscoll’s schedule was packed, but she still allowed Davis and her collaborator Tim Hartin to follow along with the camera.   

When they first traveled over to Disability Resources and Educational Services (DRES) to pitch the documentary, “I was in awe of her and nervous she would say no,” Davis said. “But we quickly recognized we had the same goal for this project and that was to make a sports documentary.  We wanted it to focus on the grit and challenges of training at an elite level and not make it an ‘inspirational story’ of someone who happens to race in a wheelchair.”  

Their footage and interviews became “Against the Wind,” an award-winning documentary of what ended up being Driscoll’s seventh consecutive win of the Boston Marathon.  

“Jean is a person who truly cares about her community and making others feel seen … She is successful because of her hard work, but also because she is an incredible human, and people admire her for all that she is beyond the athletic achievements,” Davis said.   

Prepared for everything 

To understand today’s Jean Driscoll, you’ll weave through several storied mentors, generally winding up with two brainy coaches that shaped her years at Illinois: former head of DRES Brad Hedrick, and longtime wheelchair track and field coach Marty Morse, both of whom are “forever on a pedestal.”   

“I don’t even want to imagine what life would be like had I not met those men and had they not invested so much of their time and talent and skill in me,” Driscoll said.  

Hedrick recruited her in the spring of 1986 after seeing her play wheelchair soccer in Wisconsin, having traveled up to Milwaukee for a wheelchair sports clinic.   

Coach Marty Morse trained Jean Driscoll for years of dominance in wheelchair marathons. (Photo by Curt Beamer).

Initially, Driscoll couldn’t be bothered to join the women’s wheelchair basketball team, especially not at regional rival University of Illinois. But Hedrick kept sending letters and kept calling, and Jean joined the team. (Driscoll thinks she has a “weakness” for persistent people.)  

Athletically, she was thrown into the fire, facing off against Sharon Hedrick, a star on the basketball court and the track who practically no one beat in a wheelchair race from 1975 until she retired in 1990. 

“There was no freshman adjustment year for Jean—she got right to work,” Morse said. “She’s always been meticulous, completely prepared for everything.”    

Despite Driscoll’s shyness, once she arrived on campus, Morse saw an absorbent, talented young adult, bent on understanding how everything worked.  

This trait reared its head in several wheelchair athletics workshops that Morse hosted through the years, bringing in guest speakers from across the country. As an undergraduate, Driscoll stepped up as Morse’s administrative assistant, running workshops with more than 100 people while competing at the same time, Morse said.   

And all the while, she was forming connections across the university. She naturally became acquainted with a wide roster of figures in Illinois athletics and academics: basketball head coaches Kathy Lindsay and Theresa Grentz; pioneering athletics administrator Karol Kahrs; Jayne DeLuce, today’s CEO of Experience Champaign-Urbana who managed the aquatics venues during the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, and countless others.  

“Instead of just being friends with somebody, she wanted to know how their job went,” Morse said. “Jean is so well-versed, and she was this way as an undergrad. If she took an interest in something on this campus, it was all in.”  

After Morse developed a syrinx—a cyst inside his spinal cord—he underwent four major surgeries from 1997 to 2000, which resulted in a loss of function. Morse and his wife Karen Iehl-Morse, a longtime Illinois athletics trainer and instructor in the program, were taking care of their son, 4-year-old Steven, with another child on the way.  

“We were having a lot of problems,” Morse said. “And Jean, who was always one of our go-to babysitters, she [basically] just moved in the house. She was there for us during that really traumatic time. Jean is family to us.”  

When Driscoll first left Urbana-Champaign in 2004, Morse was upset. He was losing a great friend, but he also felt the university had “dropped the ball” by not keeping her here.    

“Because it was like, boy, this woman, her entire career has been nothing but promotion of Illinois,” Morse said. To see her finally return to the University of Illinois in her development and alumni relations role at the College of Applied Health Sciences in 2006 “was no surprise.”  

And her return led to countless more friendships and memories. Longtime U. of I. communications officer Robin Kaler first met her at a local 5K, where she “fan-girled” and asked Driscoll to pose with her baby for a picture.  

They became fast friends. Over the years, she “has always been there to build the Illinois brand,” Kaler said, thinking of a half-time commercial where Driscoll sang the Alma Mater song with other famous Illinois alums.  

One Halloween, Driscoll and Kaler dressed up as the campus statues Alma Mater and Learning, then went to a restaurant near campus, with plenty of onlookers.  

“We laughed the entire time as the other diners stared at us,” Kaler said. “Even though she’s retiring, she will be a pillar of our university community forever.”  

Tricks of her trade 

After 20 years of working in advancement and development, Driscoll knows that lots of people want to make gifts for higher education. Oftentimes, “they just don’t know what they want to do, or how they want to do it,” Driscoll said.  

As she describes it, there’s a creative process of matching the donor’s interests with a college’s needs. A scholarship fund? A named space? A new building?  

In any case, the process begins with careful listening. One of her favorite donation stories started with a retraction—a donor had withdrawn their support for a five-figure gift to the college. This donor had a list of grievances about how they were communicated with during the process and how their gift was handled.  

Driscoll speaks to former sports psychology faculty from the University of Illinois. (Photo by Ethan Simmons)

So, Driscoll decided to reopen the relationship, working to address each point “one by one,” she said. By the time they were finished, the donor came back with a seven-figure estate gift for the college. The key was leaning into the “crucial conversation,” where a resolution needed to be reached.  

“The younger Jean would be surprised, and dare I say impressed, with how I’ve grown into leadership and management,” Driscoll said.  

Driscoll’s last month with her advancement team has involved plenty of hand-offs, introducing her staff to key figures and longstanding relationships. And news of her retirement led to some unexpected gray areas, too, like colleagues being unsure of how or when to communicate with her. 

What’s never left is Driscoll’s genuine care, and her “unmatched attention to detail, which has consistently elevated the quality of everything our team produces,” said Angela Tammen, director of external engagement for the advancement team. “In every meeting, she brings the conversation back to the people behind our work. She wants us to understand who they are, what matters to them, and why their story is important.” 

Driscoll hired Kathy Saathoff in 2013 to support the Applied Health Sciences advancement office. Saathoff’s first impression was how “strong and confident” Driscoll was in her own skin, and her supportive, empathy-driven leadership style.  

“I always appreciated her letting us do our jobs, but when we needed support, she was right there to lend it,” Saathoff said.  

Advancement officers Matt Smith and Josh Joines have been flying across the country to fill in the web of connections that Driscoll is entrusting with them.  

“I want it to be a smooth transition for our alumni and our friends and donors. Because advancement work can be transient, people come and go,” Driscoll said. “I don’t want to start something we can’t finish.”  

Another journey  

Jean Driscoll accepts a gift from the College of Applied Health Sciences a week before her retirement, at a ceremony held Aug. 25, 2026.

Dean Cheryl Hanley-Maxwell took note of Driscoll making effortless connections at an Illinois event, where she circulated the room and introduced Hanley-Maxwell to influential figures at the college with her genuine curiosity.

“Jean is the ultimate people person,” said Hanley-Maxwell, who became dean of the College of Applied Health Sciences in 2016. “I have watched her build meaningful connections in a matter of minutes, leaving people with the sense that they have known her for years rather than moments.”  

That’s part of why, when Driscoll sat down with the dean this spring to let her know she was accepting a new opportunity, she said, “I’m so happy for you.” 

“I thought I would have to explain myself, but I didn’t have to,” Driscoll said. “It’s a mark of good leadership.”  

At the Foundation for Barnes-Jewish Hospital, she’ll be working as the fundraiser with a fellow Illini: former Assistant Vice Chancellor for Advancement David Bruns, with a new mission at top of mind.  

“For years and years, I have wondered what healthcare fundraising might look like—I have relied on healthcare my entire life, from the minute I was born,” Driscoll said. “I will have to prove myself all over again. When you’re outside your comfort zone, that’s where you grow.”  

(Photo by Fred Zwicky / University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign)

What motivated her in her early years was a prove-them-wrong mentality. It kept her “punching the wheels” of her racing chairs for 14 years. These days, her drive revolves around showing up for the people she cares about.  

Along with her new professional journey, she’ll be spending as much time as she can doing her “favorite thing in the world,” kayaking with her extended family in Wisconsin. She still gets butterflies every time she visits.  

For all her Illini faithful, this could be a goodbye, but also a “see you next time.”  

“I can’t help but have empathy and appreciate where people have come from and where they are now and where they’re going, because there are experiences that truly shape us,” Driscoll said.  

If you can learn anything from Driscoll, “it’s sincerity and honesty,” Morse said. “As long as you are the same with her, you’ll be very glad you met Jean Driscoll.”  

Editor’s note:

To reach Jean Driscoll, email jdris@illinois.edu
 

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Inspired by student trip, Illini alumni hit the road for tour of American sports, culture 

Aug. 28, 2026 | Vince Lara-Cinisomo

Graduates reconnect through a trip visiting the country’s landmarks

For 28 University of Illinois alumni, eight days on the road offered more than a chance to visit famous stadiums, museums and monuments. It became a traveling classroom—one built around shared history, new friendships and plenty of Illini pride. 

Led by Recreation, Sport and Tourism Clinical Associate Professor Michael Raycraft, the Illini Alumni Roadtrippers embarked on a journey through some of the nation’s most historic sports and cultural institutions. The experience drew inspiration from Raycraft’s RST 180 Hall of Fame Tour, an RST course that brings the history and cultural influence of sports to life beyond the classroom. 

The Illini Alumni Roadtrippers set off on a journey to some of America’s most historic cultural institutions (Photo provided)

The alumni version gave travelers an organized way to explore that history together, with transportation, lodging, admissions, meals and expert guidance incorporated into the itinerary. 

Scott Williams said he registered for the experience through the University of Illinois Alumni Association, with travel organized by Sports and Entertainment Travel LLC. Every destination offered something worthwhile, he said, but one stop stood apart. 

“I was most surprised and intrigued by Saratoga Springs and the extensive culture and history surrounding horse racing,” Williams said. 

The itinerary took the group through a broad stretch of American history. Stops included the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York; Saratoga Springs and Niagara Falls in New York; the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio; the NCAA Hall of Champions in Indianapolis, Indiana; and Indianapolis Motor Speedway. 

Two other popular spots for these travelers were the National Comedy Center and the Lucille Ball Desi Arnaz Museum in Jamestown, New York. 

“For that group, it was pretty meaningful,” Raycraft said, noting that the students he takes on RST 180 likely are not familiar with the legendary TV show “I Love Lucy.”  

The Ball Arnaz museum features a full-scale replica of Ricky Ricardo’s famous Manhattan nightclub, known as the Tropicana Room. 

“We had dinner at the Tropicana,” Raycraft said. “(The Roadtrippers) really loved it; they really could connect with it.” 

The mix was intentional. Rather than treating sports as a collection of scores and trophies, the journey placed athletic history alongside stories about communities, entertainment, nature and national identity. 

For Mike Waldbusser, the chance to experience unfamiliar destinations without having to coordinate the details made the trip especially appealing. 

“I am a sports fan and had never been to any of these places, so it was a great opportunity to see them on an organized, planned trip—especially with fellow alums,” Waldbusser said. 

He had previously participated in senior alumni day trips organized by Lou Liay, the retired executive director of the University of Illinois Alumni Association. Liay helped develop the Roadtrippers concept with Raycraft but was unable to join the eight-day tour because of health concerns. His daughter, Alicia, traveled in his place and brought along a Lou Liay bobblehead. 

She photographed “Little Lou” at the tour’s destinations and sent the pictures to her father, giving him a playful presence throughout the journey. 

“So ‘Little Lou’ did actually make the trip,” Waldbusser said. 

For Waldbusser, choosing a favorite destination proved difficult because each offered a different experience. Niagara Falls, however, had the biggest impact. 

“The sheer power, magnitude and beauty of Mother Nature left an impression,” he said. 

Waldbusser advised future travelers to bring dry socks and shoes and to “double bag” their belongings before entering the Cave of the Winds. 

Saratoga Springs delivered another unexpected highlight. The group explored the city’s horse racing tradition, toured the Oklahoma Training Track and visited natural springs in Saratoga Spa State Park. 

Waldbusser said he had not closely followed horse racing before the tour but came away with a new interest in the sport. After returning home, he found himself watching “Racing From the Spa” on television. 

The group also encountered reminders of Illinois’ contributions to American sports history. At Cooperstown, travelers found former Illini baseball star Lou Boudreau. In Canton, they encountered connections to George Halas, Red Grange, Dick Butkus, Ray Nitschke, Bobby Mitchell and George “Papa Bear” Halas-era football history. At the NCAA Hall of Champions, they found former Illini basketball player Mannie L. Jackson, a donor to the College of Applied Health Sciences and the man who endowed the Illinois Academic Enrichment and Leadership Program, or I-LEAP. 

Those discoveries connected nationally recognized institutions with the travelers’ own experiences at Illinois. 

“Traveling with fellow alums and exchanging stories and experiences” created new friendships, Waldbusser said. 

Raycraft added context at each stop, using questions and stories to encourage the group to look beyond exhibits. One discussion explored why the Baseball Hall of Fame was placed in Cooperstown and asked travelers to compare that community with Canton, home of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. 

“I appreciated all of Mike’s insights and stories to enhance our trip,” Waldbusser said. 

RST Clinical Associate Professor Mike Raycraft modeled this trip on his RST 180 trip, in which he takes students to some of the same historic spots. (Photo provided)

The Roadtrippers experience grew from conversations involving Raycraft, Liay and David Bambrey, president of the University of Illinois Alumni Association, according to Kristina Oncken-Cortez, associate director of alumni experiences for the association’s Explorers travel program. 

Oncken-Cortez said she had not known about RST 180 until Raycraft explained the course to her. The alumni tour translated elements of the student experience for a different generation of Illini, retaining the emphasis on learning through firsthand encounters. 

It also became part of a much larger alumni travel program. Oncken-Cortez said the association offers more than 50 Explorers tours each year. 

Life aboard the bus supplied its own memories. The travelers shared refreshments, meals, advice and jokes as the miles accumulated. Gary Earls, the group’s driver, kept the trip moving smoothly and offered one memorable recommendation: avoid the bus restroom while the vehicle was bouncing down the road. 

Williams also said the combination of destinations and companionship made the experience easy to recommend. 

“I’d encourage any Illinois alumni to experience this diverse collection of unique experiences in the effortless company of friendly fellow explorers,” he said. 

Asked what he would tell another Illinois graduate considering a Roadtrippers journey, Waldbusser’s answer was direct. 

“Go! Sign me up,” he said. “Everything is arranged—hotels, admissions, bus refreshments and most meals. Just get on the bus and leave the driving to Gary.” 

After eight days, the lasting images were not limited to plaques, exhibits or celebrated landmarks. Waldbusser also remembered the sight of travelers enjoying one another’s company. 

It was, he said, a “great, easy way to see all these venues,” guided by an experienced and knowledgeable leader and shared with “a great group of Illini.”  

And that knowledgeable leader would love to do it again. 

“I’m optimistic,” Raycraft said of a July 2027 trip. If alumni are interested in going on the trip, Raycraft encouraged them to email him at mraycraf@illinois.edu.

Editor’s note:

To reach Mike Raycraft, email mraycraf@illinois.edu.
 

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From RST to Wrigley: Alum finds voice in Major League Baseball

Aug. 13, 2026 | Elgin Community College

RST alum Fredy Quevedo Jr. enjoying the friendly confines of Wrigley Field. (Photo provided)

As the Spanish-language interpreter for the Chicago Cubs, Fredy Quevedo Jr. steps in front of cameras and reporters, knowing his role is far more than translating words. He’s translating trust. Culture. Confidence. As a media relations specialist, Quevedo helps players share their stories authentically, ensuring language is never a barrier to being heard.

It’s a role that feels tailor-made, even if the path there was anything but linear. 

Born and raised in Elgin, Quevedo grew up deeply connected to his community. Long before he enrolled at Elgin Community College (ECC), he was already familiar with the campus through the Youth Leadership Academy program, attending sessions as early as middle school. “I came here all the time, so I already knew the buildings and the campus.”

After high school, Quevedo’s journey took a few turns. He attended college, took time away to work a variety of jobs, and even headed to Minnesota to briefly pursue college football. But by 2019, he found himself back home — and back at ECC, ready to reset and rebuild his confidence.

“I was everywhere, and then I came back home, which is ironic, but it’s the thing I’m most grateful for. You never know where the journey might take you, but you always come back home.”

At ECC, Quevedo completed his Associate in Arts in just one year, graduating in 2020. His time at ECC had a profound impact, as he found support through TRIO and worked closely with mentors who helped him map out clear, achievable next steps. “Being here helped me get right mentally for when I would transfer,” he said, adding that he initially pursued political science out of high school. “I [now] knew what I wanted to go after.” 

That sense of care and support mattered. As a first-generation college student and the son of immigrants from Mexico, Quevedo had spent much of his life navigating systems that weren’t built with language access in mind. Growing up, he often translated for his mother at appointments, in offices, and in everyday moments. At the time, it was simply what needed to be done. In hindsight, it was the foundation of a future career.

After ECC, Quevedo transferred to the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in recreation, sport and tourism with a concentration in sport management. It was there that his vision sharpened: he wanted to work in sports and use his language and culture as strengths — not side notes.

“I grew up watching sports and playing sports, and I didn’t even know jobs like this existed,” he said.

That clarity led him to take a leap and start applying for roles even when he felt underqualified. His first break came with the San Francisco 49ers, where he worked in marketing while finishing his final semester at U of I. When that role ended, he explored his options in the Bay Area. Then came the call from the Cubs in May of 2023, followed by a second move back home.

Today, Quevedo is one of just 30 Spanish interpreters across Major League Baseball — one per team — helping Spanish-speaking players navigate interviews, media obligations, and public life. But to him, the job is about more than words.

“My goal is to help players find their voices so their stories are told, they are heard, and they feel comfortable being themselves,” he said.  

That responsibility feels personal. Quevedo knows how powerful it is to see someone who looks like you, sounds like you, thriving in a visible space. He carries that awareness into every interview and every interaction, hoping young people, especially ECC students, see possibility reflected back at them.

“Don’t ever be afraid to pursue an opportunity. Always be yourself and trust yourself.”

Looking back, Quevedo credits ECC with helping him build that willingness, along with humility, gratitude, and confidence. “ECC showed me the importance of community,” he said. “Of asking for help … of believing that where you start doesn’t limit where you can go.”

From Elgin classrooms to one of baseball’s most iconic ballparks, his journey has come full circle. He’s grounded in home, fueled by purpose, and driven by a belief that language access isn’t just a service. It’s a bridge that breaks down barriers and creates broader connections.

And thanks to Fredy Quevedo Jr., more voices are crossing it every day.

Editor’s Note: Reprinted from Elgin Community College’s website.

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Bronze Tablet, Dean’s List honorees named for spring 2026

August 05, 2026 | Ethan Simmons

Nearly 500 graduates obtained a bachelor’s degree from the College of Applied Health Sciences

The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign named the student recipients of its highest academic honors for the spring 2026 semester.

2026 Commencement (Photo by Michelle Hassell)

At the College of Applied Health Sciences at Illinois, 509 students made the Dean’s List, a semesterly honor for students who reach the top 20% grade-point average in their college class or curriculum, with at least 12 academic hours taken for a letter grade.

This year, 17 AHS graduates were recognized as Bronze Tablet honorees. This is the university’s highest honor for graduates, reserved for the top 3% of academic achievers from each college’s graduating class.

Here are the AHS representatives—from all five of our undergraduate degree programs—whose names will be displayed on a bronze tablet in the university’s Main Library:

  • Audrey Arlis, speech and hearing science
  • Christopher Atadero, interdisciplinary health sciences
  • Brian Becker, recreation, sport and tourism
  • Sarah Blyskal, community health
  • Lydia Burger, kinesiology
  • Nicole Dudek, recreation, sport and tourism
  • Collin Janusz, kinesiology
  • Estelle Jones, speech and hearing science
  • Brielle Mapanao, kinesiology
  • Katherine Naveja, kinesiology
  • Dorothy Nguyen, recreation, sport and tourism
  • Stacy Pontikes, speech and hearing scinece
  • Forrest Benjamin Reyes, recreation, sport and tourism
  • Karla Rodriguez, speech and hearing science
  • Farris Sweid, interdisciplinary health sciences
  • Nicole Zagone, community health
  • Ella Zick, interdisciplinary health sciences

Last academic year, 490 graduates obtained a bachelor’s degree from the College of Applied Health Sciences.

In all, Illinois recognized 9,005 Dean’s List students and 387 Bronze Tablet honorees for the spring 2026 semester, and awarded more than 12,174 degrees and certificates. Databases for each honor are available online.

Editor’s note:

To reach Ethan Simmons, email ecsimmon@illinois.edu.
 

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An online RST master’s degree affirmed Haupert’s career in the arts

May 16, 2026 | Ethan Simmons

A “theater kid through and through,” Haupert (RST ‘21) helps realize the artistic dreams of her community as Palatine Park District’s first-ever cultural arts manager.

In her new role at the Palatine Park District, Laney Haupert carries administrative work to keep her local arts scene running .

From an early age, Laney Haupert dreamed of working in the theater—not acting on stage, but managing her favorite productions behind the scenes. 

But life took her in an unexpected direction: as Palatine Park District’s cultural arts manager, Haupert carries administrative work to keep her local arts scene running from her position in parks and recreation. 

“I had this lightbulb moment: I can work in cultural arts, do theater, put up shows, serve my community, and have all the benefits of working in the public sector,” Haupert said. “Taking this job was my Hannah Montana, ‘Best of Both Worlds’ moment.” 

After a stint in the creative arts and a taste of park district life, Haupert went back to school, obtaining master’s degree online from the Department of Recreation, Sport and Tourism at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in 2021. It gave her the tools to steer her career toward a new path. 

“A master’s degree is something I always wanted to complete,” Haupert said. “Having found this program and hearing more about it, it was a great fit for where my career was at and where I saw my life going.” 

Haupert is from Bartlett, Illinois, a village of 41,000 in the Chicago metro area. She grew up in community theater, starring in her local production of “The Velveteen Rabbit” when she was 8 years old. As she got older, she found more roles backstage: hanging curtains, doing makeup and building sets for local plays.

Haupert’s mother, Carrie Fullerton, always thought Haupert had the “personality for parks and recreation.” Fullerton is a two-time graduate of the RST program at Illinois and has served as executive director of the Arlington Heights Park District since 2020. 

Haupert had different plans, at least at first. She obtained her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre Administration from Millikin University in 2018, working as director of development for the school’s student-run studio theater. But after graduating, the job prospects were dry, so she found an administrative assistant role at the Glenview Park District—and found out she loved it. 

“Sometimes it takes someone who is not your parent to realize how cool this thing is, that your parent has been spoon-feeding you,” she said. “I thought parks and recreation was something I really wanted to explore further.” 

You have to remember the ‘why’ of what we’re doing, and who it’s for. It’s for the little version of you who really needed this at a certain point in life.

Laney Haupert

Cultural Arts Manager, RST ’21

In February 2020, she landed a role with the Bolingbrook Park District, managing both its gymnastics and theater programs. A month in, the COVID-19 pandemic hit, all in-person events were canceled and she had a “whole lot of nothing to do.” 

Haupert’s graduation cap after obtaining her online master’s degree in RST reads “Don’t forget to play.” Today, she is the Palatine Park District’s first-ever cultural arts manager. (Photo provided)

But Haupert had a clearer idea of where she wanted to take her career. She wanted more knowledge—and a degree that connected to her new industry. 

The flexibility of the RST online master’s program appealed to her: “Maybe you’re a sports person and love athletics, want to be around it doing recreation management. For me, my love has always been theater and live performance,” Haupert said. 

The online format made it easier for her to balance coursework and her job, completing her master’s in a year and a half. RST’s online degree gave her “structure” that she sorely needed, especially early in the pandemic. The master’s program also helped her ace the test for her Certified Parks and Recreation Professional Certification, an industry qualification. 

Haupert stayed with Bolingbrook until January 2022, when she began with the Deerfield Park District as its cultural arts and special events supervisor. That experience brought her to Palatine in 2024, where she’s continued to support young artists as the park district’s first ever cultural arts manager. 

She supports all manner of performances year-round: multiple choirs, a community band, theater programs and dance recitals. Her big task is to cultivate a school-of-art brand for the park district, while getting “more and more people to do cool stuff with us,” she said. 

With a fresh perspective on her role, Haupert is helping to realize the artistic dreams of kids growing up in the same lane she once did. 

“The most important thing that’s been a throughline for me: if you’re having fun, you never work a day in your life,” Haupert said. “You have to remember the ‘why’ of what we’re doing, and who it’s for. It’s for the little version of you who really needed this at a certain point in life.” 

Editor’s note

To reach Ethan Simmons, email ecsimmon@illinois.edu.

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Full circle: Illinois alumni reunite through friendship and the U.S. Open

May 15, 2026 | Vince Lara-Cinisomo

These three RST graduates “always knew” they’d be working together again someday

Three Recreation, Sport and Tourism alums, Eva Schmidt, Chelcia Abajian and Christine Stromberg work together through the U.S. Tennis Association. “It’s incredible to see the three of us together again.” (Photo provided)

More than a decade after their time together at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, three alumni from the Department of Recreation, Sport and Tourism have found themselves reunited in a place far removed from campus, yet deeply connected to their shared past.

Today, Chelcie Abajian, Eva Schmidt and Christine Stromberg work together through roles connected to the U.S. Tennis Association, contributing to the operations and hospitality surrounding one of the sport’s most prestigious events: the U.S. Open in New York. Their professional reunion, however, is only part of the story. At its core lies a friendship that began during their graduate school days at Illinois and endured long before their careers converged again.

Seeing one another again in the same professional space has been both surreal and deeply meaningful.

“It’s incredible to see the three of us together again,” said Abajian, who is senior manager, conferences and events at the USTA. “Even during the years we weren’t working side-by-side, our bond never wavered.”

Some of their most vivid memories from Illinois weren’t formed in classrooms or lecture halls, but in moments of spontaneity that helped cement their friendship. All three got both their undergraduate and graduate degrees in RST.

“My favorite memory from our Illinois days is more on a personal level,” Abajian said. “Just three months after we met, we took a spontaneous trip to New York City, which was Eva’s first time ever visiting. Looking back, that was the moment we knew this friendship was for the long haul. It’s pretty remarkable that the city where we first bonded as friends is now the same place where we’re making our mark together during the U.S. Open.”

Another favorite memory comes from the final days of their time at Illinois.

“My favorite memory together at Illinois was taking our graduation pictures at Memorial Stadium,” said Schmidt, now director of premium hospitality, office of the president with the USTA. “With the help of a colleague, we were able to take pictures in the Colonnades and it was a fun way to reflect on the last two years. Today, 12 years later, it’s surreal to be working together again, but I love the camaraderie!”

Their journey from classmates to colleagues was never guaranteed, but perhaps it wasn’t entirely surprising either.

“In a way, I think we always knew,” Abajian said. “Christine and I have been a team since 2008, first as student-athletes and now as colleagues who share a love for event operations and tennis.”

That long-standing partnership eventually played a role in bringing the trio back together professionally. When Abajian joined the USTA in 2022, she quickly realized the potential of reconnecting with familiar talent.

“When I landed at the USTA in 2022—due to Christine referring me—one of my first major events was managing the president’s suite,” she said. “I called Eva because her hospitality background was the missing piece of the puzzle for our staff. Watching her move into a full-time role afterward was the ‘full-circle’ moment we’d been building toward since college.”

Another member of the group shared a similar perspective about their eventual reunion.

“Similar to Chelcie’s answer, I always knew we’d be working together again in some capacity,” Schmidt said. “Our paths were always parallel and it was only a matter of time before they intersected.”

Even so, the exact setting was a surprise.

“When we were at Illinois, if I could have predicted where we would end up, at least for me and Eva, I thought it would be in Chicago somewhere, not all living in new places,” said Stromberg, who is director of U.S. Open Player Services. “The years after graduation, following each other’s careers and supporting each other in what we were pursuing is one of the things that kept us all together.”

Their individual career paths since college have been anything but identical.

Abajian remained closely tied to athletics after completing her master’s degree, eventually transitioning into her current role with the USTA.

“I stayed in college athletics until I shifted to the USTA in 2022,” she said. “I’m not surprised by my journey. I have a love for tennis and event management and this role marries the two together.”

Schmidt said her trajectory was far less predictable.

“My career journey since college has been completely nonlinear,” she said. “Every time I thought I had a pathway, I’d pivot and go the polar opposite direction. Working at the USTA has felt the most stable so far.”

Unexpected turns ultimately became a rewarding part of the journey.

“I never thought I’d end up outside of the state of Illinois but that’s my favorite part of my career path,” she said. “I never expected any of this and I continue to surprise myself. Who knows what’s next!”

For Stromberg, tennis itself became the unexpected thread tying everything together.

“Even though I grew up as a tennis player, my original goal was not to work in tennis,” she said. “I started taking opportunities as they arose and walked through some doors that were open and found the career path that I was ultimately looking for; I just didn’t know it’s what I was looking for.”

Many of the skills they rely on today trace directly back to their student-athlete experiences and time at Illinois.

“My skills go back to being a student-athlete,” Abajian said. “Most importantly: time management. I can juggle multiple tasks, prioritize what needs to get done and work my daily life around a schedule.”

Schmidt credited her early experiences working within Illinois athletics as formative.

“I was fortunate enough to have an internship in the Division of Intercollegiate Athletics as an undergrad that took me into my graduate assistantship at Illinois,” she said. “Those years were so formative and have influenced everything I’ve done.”

Accountability, Stromberg added, remains central to how she approaches leadership today.

“Similar to Chelcie, my skills go back to being a student-athlete,” she said. “In addition to what she mentioned, accountability is one of the most important things I learned and it drives how I make decisions and lead today.”

Their friendship has only strengthened as their relationship has shifted from classmates to colleagues.

“It has only grown,” Abajian said.

Working together professionally has also given them new perspectives on each other.

“It’s certainly grown and also allows us to approach things from a different perspective,” Schmidt added.

“It continues to grow every day,” Stromberg said.

One moment in particular made their shared journey feel complete.

During one U.S. Open, the three unexpectedly found themselves together in the player walk-on tunnel at Louis Armstrong Stadium during the retirement ceremony for American tennis player John Isner.

“In my first year full time with the USTA, the three of us found ourselves in the player walk-on tunnel at Louis Armstrong Stadium for John Isner’s retirement ceremony,” Schmidt said. “Each of us were there for different reasons and we had yet to organically bump into each other at the Open. We all paused and acknowledged the greatness of the moment and even took a selfie.”

Their long history together also shapes how they work.

“Having been friends since 2012, our professional partnership at the USTA is built on a decade-plus of mutual trust,” Abajian said. “This shared history allows us to solve problems with total confidence and zero hesitation. We are each other’s most reliable sounding board and always the first phone call when it’s time to get to work.”

Honesty is part of that dynamic as well.

“We aren’t afraid to tell each other the hard things,” Stromberg added. “That’s really where growth comes from.”

Looking back, each of them has advice for the younger versions of themselves who were navigating graduate school in Champaign-Urbana.

“Work hard, but work does not define you,” Abajian said. “Chill out on the perfectionism; mistakes are just proof that you’re actually out there trying things. Your worth doesn’t go up or down based on your productivity, so don’t forget to clock out and find some sun.”

Schmidt emphasized patience.

“Take a breath,” she said. “Don’t feel like you have to have your whole life figured out by 25.”

And while their professional futures may take them in different directions, one thing is certain: their friendship will remain constant.

“Our friendship comes first in our circle,” Abajian said. “We are fortunate to have each other to lean on for work and personal advice. We hope to keep growing and learning together in this organization.”

As Stromberg summed up, the next step might be uncertain, but the foundation they share is not.

“We don’t know where the professional path will take each of us,” she said. “But we know where our friendship will.”

Editor’s note:

To reach Vince Lara-Cinisomo, email vinlara@illinois.edu
 

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Support swells for iPALS summer enrichment program

April 27, 2026 | Ethan Simmons

This summertime enrichment program for local youth run by Health and Kinesiology at Illinois is back in Champaign

A day in the iPALS program provides academic enrichment, playtime, social-emotional learning and nutritious snacks. (Photo provided)

A group of Illinois physical education alumni are supporting one of the College of Applied Health Sciences’ longest-running youth programs as it returns to Champaign.

Three graduates of the former Department of Physical Education for Women at Illinois—Carolyn Bechly, Jean Snuggs and Lyndell Wilken—have pooled their resources into an endowment to help fund the Illinois Physical Activity and Life Skills program, also known as iPALS. The summer wellness program for local children is also a steppingstone for Illinois student educators to develop their skills.

“We’re hoping iPALS can be part of their practical experience, building on what they’ve learned in a classroom,” said Wilken, who graduated in 1972 and became a coach, physical educator and athletics administrator.

The eight-week iPALS program run by the Department of Health and Kinesiology in Applied Health Sciences brings in local schoolchildren every summer for a full day-camp experience, with structured playtime, academic enrichment, social-emotional learning and nutritious snacks available each day. 

Beyond a summer opportunity for at-risk youth—every child participant qualifies for SNAP benefits or free-and-reduced lunch—the program doubles as a research study, funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The premise of the study: to see if regular physical activity, summertime enrichment and specialized nutrition can curb “learning loss,” the regular backsliding of academic achievement that occurs over summer break. Enrollment in iPALS is completely free.

The University of Illinois has a long history of youth summer programs. iPALS was originally the “Sport Fitness” program, where physical activity was the focus. With community input from partnering local school districts, faculty leaders have developed a more balanced approach over the years, between academic and social enrichment, exercise and nutrition.

Many of the daily snacks served to iPALS kids contain lutein, a carotenoid common in leafy green vegetables that settles in our eyes and brain, supporting our eyesight and cognitive health. The iPALS participants, ages 6 to 11 years old, take fitness, academic and cognition assessments at the beginning and end of the program to measure its direct impacts.

“Given that physical activity participation is among the most robust behavioral approaches to support both physical and cognitive health, we anticipate that the iPALS program has the potential to have a meaningful impact on children in our community,” said principal investigator Naiman Khan, associate professor in the Department of Health and Kinesiology.

During iPALS days, the kids move from station to station, with each stop run by Illinois graduate students. The researchers purposely use students with diverse backgrounds: nutrition majors running the snack station, education majors running academic enrichment, and physical educators structuring the playtime.

“For me, the most important aspect is that we provide a safe space for eight hours a day where kids are guaranteed meals and snacks, surrounded by adults who care about them, and they’re able to build relationships with peers experiencing similar realities,” said HK Associate Professor Kevin Richards, who researches the teaching of physical education. “That impact is difficult to capture with data, but it is the most meaningful part of the program.”

Interested families can visit the iPALS website and complete the eligibility survey to see if their child qualifies for the program. This year’s iPALS will take place at Booker T. Washington STEM Academy in Champaign on weekdays from June 3 to July 17.

Booker T. Washington STEM Academy in Champaign will be the hosting venue for this year’s iPALS program. (Champaign Unit 4)

A Motivated Donation

Illinois alumnae Carolyn Bechly, Lyndell Wilken and Jean Snuggs on a trip to Alaska. The three graduated from Illinois Department of Physical Education for Women just as Title IX took effect. (Photo provided)

The teaching experience available in the iPALS program mirrors the student teaching opportunities that were available to prior generations of Illinois physical education majors. Months after the passage of landmark Title IX legislation in 1972, the Illinois departments of Physical Education for men and women were fused, just as Bechly, Wilken and Snuggs happened to embark on their careers.

Under Title IX, every education program that received federal funding had to ensure equal access for students regardless of sex. Schools nationwide had an imperative to start girls’ sports teams, and a dire need for coaches. Some states, including Illinois, mandated that coaching slots be filled by women.

Suddenly, these new Illinois physical education graduates had their work cut out for them. 

“It was an amazing time, and busy,” Wilken said. “The opportunities were huge, also the workload you sustained, because you were a full-time teacher and you weren’t given anything extra for coaching—just the love of sport and wanting girls to have opportunities that drove most of us to essentially do it for free.”

The three women quickly discovered the lessons from the Illinois’ physical education program were useful in the field. They had learned under department legends such as professors Phyllis Hill and Beulah Drom, who instilled foundations in childhood motor skills and structuring class-time for physical education. The pedagogy of P.E. was scientific and practical: to help students understand the joy of movement, you’ll have to get them to line up single file as well.

“The science of it was really fascinating … you learned how to learn things, which carried over into how to teach,” Snuggs said. “In retrospect, it was always incredibly teaching-oriented.”

Wilken, Snuggs, Bechly and their cohort have retired, mostly, from long careers in physical education and coaching, spanning secondary schools, colleges and universities. They owe much of their lasting bond with their classmates to the passage of Title IX, and the whirlwind of entering the field together, giving student-athletes—particularly young women—opportunities that didn’t exist for themselves.

“We graduated, Title IX happened, and we fell into wonderland,” Bechly said. “Us starting as brand-new teachers, to be able to coach and experience stuff we didn’t really experience to that level, it was just fabulous.”

Naturally, shared professional experiences led the cohort to stay in touch and collaborate. Wilken made a spirited call to Snuggs back in 1979: Wilken was leaving her post at the American River College in Sacramento after founding its women’s track and field team. The school would need a new athletics administrator, and a new coach.

Inspired by how iPALS mirrors their own student-teaching experiences at Illinois, these physical education alums set up a fund to support the program indefinitely. (Photo provided)

“I had never run a track race in my life, but Lyndell said, ‘Hey, you might like this, why don’t you apply?’” Snuggs said. Snuggs got the job and stayed at American River College for more than 30 years, retiring as its dean of physical education in 2012. Wilken went to work at Lane Community College in Oregon, coaching its cross country and track teams to four conference championships.

Today, more than 53 years after the passage of Title IX, these alums have reconnected with their alma mater. After dialogues with the current faculty of Health and Kinesiology, the iPALS program seemed a good target for their financial support, mirroring their own student-teaching experiences at Illinois.

Their Supervised Teaching of Physical Activity/Nutrition Fund will support iPALS indefinitely. The founders have put out an open call for alums, including fellow physical educators, to donate.

“We’d like the students working there in the summer to be future physical educators, and that they continue being mentored and teaching,” Bechly said.

Families can register their kids for this summer session of iPALS now. In the meantime, the PEW alums hope more supporters help sustain the program.

“Physical education is a wonderful opportunity for kids to make decisions at whatever level, in terms of how they deal with others, how they deal with winning and losing. It’s heavy-duty stuff they can use for the rest of their lives,” Snuggs said.

Editor’s note:

To learn more about iPALS or sign up your child, visit the program’s webpage.

Want to contribute to the Supervised Teaching of Physical Activity/Nutrition Fund (Fund #778014)?  Donate or email our AHS Office of Advancement at advancement@ahs.illinois.edu.

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The intern who turned an ejection into a career lesson

April 10, 2026 | Ethan Simmons

One embarrassing moment produced viral fame and lifelong lessons for this Recreation, Sport and Tourism alum.

In Derek Dye’s 2012 internship with the Daytona Cubs, he sold concessions, cleaned the bleachers, worked the soundboard, even dressed as the mascot. (Provided)

At their best, college internships are valuable learning experiences. Derek Dye didn’t expect his to involve getting tossed out of a baseball game.

That was the viral story for this University of Illinois alum’s first big-time summer job with Minor League Baseball, working as a stadium operations intern in August 2012. Back then, Dye was a rising senior in the Recreation, Sport and Tourism program at Illinois, eager to break into the sports industry. 

“I would’ve done anything to work in sports,” Dye said. “The minor league was the main target for me, a lot of people wanted to get their foot in the door.” 

Growing up in Moline, Illinois, sports were truly his life: Dye ran a backyard football club in high school and developed a passion for sports data of the major leagues. His dream was to become the general manager for the Chicago Cubs. 

When college neared, he applied to relevant programs across the state that could help him reach his goals. He eventually broke through the waitlist for the University of Illinois’ Recreation, Sport and Tourism program in the spring of 2009. 

“The RST major was the first thing I was looking at, I thought it was the perfect fit,” Dye said. 

It’s customary for RST students to work an internship in the field before they graduate. Baseball’s minor league was his main target, including the Quad City River Bandits in his hometown. 

The summer before his senior year at Illinois, he landed a seemingly perfect role: an internship with the Daytona Cubs, the Minor League Baseball team in Daytona Beach, Florida, and affiliate of the Chicago Cubs. 

He ended up taking out a $1,700 loan from his grandma to live in a Daytona Beach apartment. When the summer of 2012 began, Dye began a do-everything internship for the Cubs: serving stadium food and beverage, cleaning the bleachers, selling tickets and running the soundboard, all for a $50-a-week stipend. 

“You’re gone!”

A picture of the Daytona Cubs soundboard’s options for “bad call.” (Provided).

August 1, 2012. The Fort Myers Miracle faced off against the Daytona Cubs.

At the top of the eighth inning, a Fort Myers batter hit a ground ball to short. The Cubs threw it first, and the umpire called it safe. But Dye, sitting up in the press box, thought it was an out. Earlier that week, Daytona had added an array of audio snippets on the soundboard to play for a “bad call.” 

One of them was an organist’s rendition of “Three Blind Mice.” Dye clicked on it. 

Umpire Mario Seneca’s head perked up, then he turned and pointed to the press box. “You’re gone!” 

The crowd was puzzled, and Seneca continued to gesture up to the soundboard, where Dye was at the helm. “Turn the sound off the rest of the night.” 

Fear washed over him. 

“As you can imagine, being 21 years old and 1,200 miles away from home, my first reaction is ‘what just happened? I’m gonna get fired,” Dye said. “I can’t believe this is actually happening.” 

(Through the shock, Dye fired off a tweet about his ejection, and later uploaded the live footage of the incident to the Daytona Beach Cubs YouTube channel.) 

Ejected from his post, the press box was silent: no batter walkups, no anything. The fans started to announce the game themselves, standing from the stands and shouting out the players’ names who were up to bat. 

After the game, Dye resumed his usual grunt work, leaf-blowing peanuts from the stands. Then his phone started ringing off the hook: calls came in from reporters at CBS, ESPN, Major League Baseball. 

News of his ejection was trending on Twitter. Everyone wanted to know about the soundboard guy—an intern—who was thrown out of the game for playing Three Blind Mice. 

“I tried to talk to as many people as I could,” Dye said. He took calls until 2 a.m. 

After waking, WGN called him. Unbeknownst to him, it was live on air. He answered questions from his closet so he wouldn’t wake up his roommates.

Dye’s ejection contended for the Minor League Baseball “Moment of the Year.”

He went to the ballpark the next day, and 45 more publications were there to talk to him. 

The fallout from the league arrived immediately. Florida State League Commissioner called the incident a “mockery of the game” and fined the team $525.

Dye was banned from the press box for the remainder of his internship. But the team’s general manager, Brady Ballard, covered the fee for his barely paid intern. 

“It showed me he saw the big picture,” Dye said. “I was a 21-year-old intern doing my work to engage the crowd and cut my teeth in sports. He didn’t shy away from it, and his support also helped the story grow legs.” 

And the Daytona Cubs sold out their stadium the very next game. 

“I think the legend behind it had more sticking power than it would nowadays,” Dye said.  “Every year it comes up in August for the anniversary.” 

‘Your rep is your personal brand in the industry’

When Dye returned for his senior year at Recreation, Sport and Tourism, advisor and instructor Ryan Gower—now chancellor of Illinois Eastern Community Colleges—asked one of his classes: “Anyone have any funny stories from their internships?” 

Everyone looked back at Dye and laughed. He had gotten texts from classmates about his ejection for the whole month. 

After working in the sports world, Dye is now the director of marketing for Chicagoland’s Affy Tapple.

“Instead of putting my head down, I was able to turn what could’ve been a really negative thing into a really fun story,” Dye said.

He took classes from RST’s many memorable professors, including Clinical Associate Professor Michael Raycraft and Adjunct Instructor Kyle Emkes, and experienced the breadth of the leisure and tourism side of the major in classes with Professor Carla Santos and Professor Emeritus Kim Shinew. 

He also took on new roles in his budding sports career, working 40-hour weeks while interning for Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics. He helped the kids club and worked with spring sports teams, such as softball and tennis.

Words from instructor and former Illinois volleyball coach Don Hardin lingered with him: if you want to work in sports, you’ll have to handle the tough stuff. 

“There’s going to be grunt work, not everything is going to be a glamorous stop,” Dye said, paraphrasing Hardin’s advice. “You’re going to have to be on the front lines, and your rep is your personal brand in the industry.” 

After graduating in 2013, Dye interned with Tampa Bay Rays and later managed eCommerce for Sports Collectibles, a sports memorabilia seller. Today, he’s the marketing director for Affy Tapple, a caramel apple producer in Chicagoland. 

His degree at RST continually comes in handy at his newest role, where he’s had to manage people and organize big events. Dye hasn’t become a Major League general manager, but the moment he feared would stain his reputation ended up shaping how he shows up for others.  

“Being on the ground level, you see everything and learn how to make the best of tough situations,” Dye said. “I’ll never be hard on someone for trying their best.” 

Editor’s note:

To reach Ethan Simmons, email ecsimmon@illinois.edu.
 

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As Huff Hall turns 100, alumnus Isaacson looks back on its evolution, and his journey

Aug. 15, 2025 | Adelyn Mui

How an RST alum became a Hollywood trainer to the stars

Dan Isaacson, center, served as executive director of the Governor’s Council under then-Gov. Pete Wilson. Before Arnold Schwarzenegger became governor, he chaired the council.

Transforming John Travolta. Becoming the first fitness editor for ABC’s “Good Morning America.” Marketing customized racketball racks for the Denver Broncos. Presenting the first wearable fitness device, the Polar Heart Rate Monitor. The list goes on.

“I dream of what could be and say why not? It’s the cornerstone of the creative entertainment community with visionary entrepreneurs like Walt Disney,” Dan Isaacson said. “I know I’m an entrepreneur, and I believe that that’s something I got from the University of Illinois.”

Isaacson, 75, grew up in Quincy, Illinois. His father owned John Isaacson & Sons Trucking and Isaacson remembers his early days as wonderfully rural, including farmhouse living, with no in-door running water or plumbing, one room schoolhouse for his first grade experience, church on Sundays, daily chores and sleigh rides in the winter. He said his background set a base for personal training and coaching others to achieve their goals in life.

“I believe we have a series of connecting dots in life that create a picture of who we are and our life’s story,” Isaacson said. “I grew up riding ponies at age 4, hiking, swimming, riding bikes, playing baseball, basketball, football and the tenor saxophone. It created a work/play lifestyle that developed my work values of discipline and responsibility balanced with unstructured play and the importance of being a person you could count on in life.”

Isaacson earned his B.S. from Western Illinois University in Recreation and Park Administration in 1971 and went on to earn his master’s in recreation, sport and tourism at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

His reason for choosing Illinois was simple: its historic and unparalleled history in the field recreation and leisure studies. Huff Hall had been graced with several “professors at that time, in the ‘60s and ‘70s, that were true pioneers in health, fitness and recreation education.”

Isaacson said Dr. Joseph Bannon and Dr. Chuck Pezoldt were his mentors. Bannon’s class on decision- making set a base for him that he still uses today, as well as being Pezoldt’s graduate assistant that provided him a guiding light on how to conduct his life personally and professionally.

“Everything to establish the professional importance and value of recreation activity was there,” Isaacson said. “When I got to Illinois, I saw the possibilities beyond just municipal recreation and parks including fitness specialized to improve performance and athletic facility development.”

His first professional role was as a manager of the Sheridan Swim Club in Quincy. Sheridan was also an early training ground for Olympic hopefuls. Nicole Kramer trained there before eventually competing in the 1976 Montreal Olympics for women’s swimming. During those Games, Isaacson was her spokesperson and reported live for the WGEM affiliate in Quincy.

“I got a call from a close friend living in Denver who said, ‘Dan, they’re opening several new athletic clubs in Denver,’ and sent me an article from The Denver Post.”

After that, he headed west.

He began working on programs at elite, full-service athletic clubs that were at the forefront of a new trend: real estate-driven fitness centers in cities like Denver, Las Vegas, Washington, D.C., and Newport Beach. Serving high-profile clients and specifically the baby boomer generation, these clubs helped spark what would become a nationwide fitness boom.

In the early ‘80s, Isaacson found massive success in training John Travolta for a role-specific physical transformation for the movie “Staying Alive.” Not only did he lay the groundwork for a science-based training program, he shifted the way Hollywood viewed strategic fitness as a means for elevating on-screen performance. Following the movie release, Isaacson and his wife opened their first personal training center by Warner Brothers called “Winning Results,” training many of the biggest stars, producers, directors and studio executives in Hollywood.

While Isaacson attributes much of his career success to his academics, he said there were other experiences outside of the classroom that shaped his worldview. He recalled a time when he was invited to play ice hockey with a friend’s friends.

When I got to Illinois, I saw the possibilities beyond just municipal recreation and parks including fitness specialized to improve performance and athletic facility development.

Dan Isaacson

RST alumnus

“Of course, they were hockey ice skaters,” Isaacson said. “I used to ice skate at home, but I only went one way, which was forwards. So, when the puck was passed to me and I had to skate backwards, they shouted, ‘What are you doing?’”

Despite the embarrassment, “it taught me a good lesson: know in life how to go forwards and backwards, right and left, and you’ll be fine,” Isaacson said. “You don’t want to be stuck – you want to have places to go.”

Isaacson said his next goal is to create a city-model to improve overall health and wellness in a community. Today with advanced technology, use of AI, holograms, robots, biohacking information, social media and new products, he said it’s time to develop and provide customized programs specific for cities.

“How do we create a healthy physical behavior pattern for a city in 90 days?” Isaacson said. “It’s a big goal and the next frontier in health, wellness and longevity.”

Even with all his accomplishments, there is one philosophy that Isaacson continues to champion.

“I just don’t want to look back on my life and say, ‘I wish I would have,’” Isaacson said. “It’s ‘Try, fail and sail.’”

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How Illinois helped John Preston redefine himself

Aug. 14, 2025 | Adelyn Mui

John Preston had never been in an integrated environment until he came to the University of Illinois in 1967

John Preston, second from right, navigated an unfamiliar world when he came to Urbana-Champaign (Photo provided)

Arriving at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in the 1970s, John Preston was among the few Black students and people with disabilities on campus. His journey through the university not only challenged him to navigate an unfamiliar world but also taught him the value of embracing life as it comes.

“If you understood what you’re going through, being Black, then what you go through being disabled is just a continuation of having that experience of being different,” Preston said. 

In high school, a car accident left Preston paralyzed. The sudden change forced him to navigate a world that wasn’t built for people like him.

Having also grown up in the South, he said he had never been in an integrated environment until he came to U. of I. in 1967 to complete an undergraduate degree in business administration and marketing. It was the only university in the nation at that time that was accessible and accommodating to persons with disabilities.

“When I arrived, I went into my room and I met my roommate. Dwight was from Wisconsin and he was white,” Preston said. “This would be the first time I ever had lived with someone of a different race.”

Preston faced some discrimination in his dorm during the early weeks, but “I was used to it and I soon felt that discrimination melt away when we all got to know each other personally.” For him, the accessibility of the campus and sense of freedom was amazing.

“It was a campus that I could push all over,” Preston said. “I could go from one end to the other, and I could go anywhere in any building. I could get out of my chair and transfer into an accessible shower chair. It was absolutely fantastic.”

He had never lived in a place with accommodations like U. of I. Preston recalled that when he first applied to Illinois, he was missing course requirements like chemistry and algebra. Those classes in his high school were taught upstairs—a place inaccessible to him. 

The first thing one has to do is accept, ‘This is who I am’

John Preston

Illinois alumnus

His wife, Lynn Preston, said the integration of people with disabilities isn’t just an opportunity for students with disabilities to have an accessible college program.

“U. of I. offered an opportunity for people who are able-bodied to have a realistic normalized opportunity to integrate with a population that happened to be disabled,” Lynn Preston said. “When we integrate with each other and know each other personally, we don’t see the disability or wheelchair first—we learn to see the person.”

At Illinois, Preston said it was a real treat to be in an environment where he felt comfortable, physically and mentally, as well as educationally.

“I was able to get in touch with a self that I had never been before,” Preston said. “I was able to start thinking about myself as someone who had an opportunity to become different in a world that I hadn’t traversed.”

That physical freedom opened the door to emotional freedom, too—a shift Preston didn’t fully understand until a study abroad trip to France offered and supported by Illinois as part of his master’s program in psychological social work.

A trip to France helped Preston, center, feel more emotional freedom. (Photo provided)

“As far as I can see, people were standing up staring at us—but I didn’t feel bad,” Preson said. “I was trying to figure out, ‘Why don’t I feel bad?’ And I realized that I cannot look inside their heads to see what they were thinking. Whatever negative impressions I was getting was from me—it wasn’t coming from people on the outside.”

It was at that moment, Preston said, that he began to feel OK about himself.

“That was the greatest sense of accomplishment because I came away knowing that my life was about learning how to be OK with me, not about trying to determine whether someone liked me or didn’t like me. It was more about me getting to like me.”

Another experience that defined Preston’s college career was his job as a bouncer at a bar. 

“I determined who could come through the door, I was checking IDs at the door,” Preston said. “That was one of the things that really was the normalization process for me. I felt like everybody else because I was doing the same things everyone was doing. I’ll always appreciate the gentleman who gave me the job.”

Shortly after graduating with his B.S., Preston went back to earn his masters in social work. Once it was completed, he packed his car and drove to California, where he landed a job as a licensed psychotherapist for Stanford. His job was to provide sessions to staff and faculty who were having difficulties with their families, the university or any other issues.

“People just feel different sometimes in their environment. We try to get in touch with whom we are within a group of individuals,” Preston said.

He said being in social service helped him understand a lot about individuals and the therapeutic process, and that is intimately tied to my education and experiences at U. of I.

“My success as a psychotherapist was also a result of my coming to terms with myself and the quality of the education that I was getting,” Preston said. “It helped me become a better therapist and gave me the tremendous ability to change my awareness of life to see how I could grow and become the best that I could be.”

Preston said he’s gone on to have a fantastic life, with kids, grandchildren and a great-grandchild with another on the way.

“My life has been more than I could ever have thought it could be,” Preston said.

His philosophy that he has carried throughout his life can resonate with all audiences.

“The first thing one has to do is accept, ‘This is who I am,’” Preston said. “Then, you look at each situation that comes into your life as, ‘How can I be the best me in this situation?’ And you are always looking at life as an ability to grow and become who you are and feel OK about you.”

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