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The (not) Fighting Illini: History alumnus helps lead group devoted to bridging contentious political divides
There’s a quote from Abraham Lincoln’s First Inaugural Address in 1861 that the East Central Illinois Alliance of Braver Angels likes to remember as it works to bridge partisan divides: “We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies...
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From history major to assistant editor: Q&A with alumnus Austin Justice
Meet Austin Justice (BA,'20, history), an assistant editor for the Papers of Abraham Lincoln (PAL) at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library & Museum. The PAL project is dedicated to publishing every document written by or addressed to Abraham Lincoln. In addition to his role at PAL, Justice...
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Recent graduate Anthony Erkan receives Fulbright to teach English in Türkiye
Recent graduate Anthony Erkan (BA'25, history and economics) was one of five University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign students and recent graduates to receive a Fulbright grant to pursue international education,...
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From history major to librarian: Q&A with alumna Mary Schiavone
Meet Mary Schiavone (BA,'18, history and English; MS, '23, Library and Information Science), a Student Success and Engagement Librarian at Beloit College. She initially enrolled at the University of Illinois as a business major but discovered her passion for history in HIST 170: U.S. History...
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From history major to social studies and English teacher: Q&A with alumna Anne Sweeney
Meet Anne Sweeney (BA,'15, history), a social studies and English teacher at Oswego High School. She has taught a range of courses in her 10 years at Oswego, including AP Psychology, World Cultures, and U.S. History. Sweeney credits her strong critical thinking skills and being an effective...
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Illini Success report: 98% of history alums secure first destination soon after graduation
An annual survey of recent graduates reports that 98% of history and history of art alumni who graduated during the 2023-2024 period secured their first destination within six months of graduating. That figure...
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From history major to social studies teacher: Q&A with alumna Hailey Baumstein
Meet Hailey Baumstein (BA,'17, history; MA,'22, education policy, organization, & leadership), a social studies teacher, girls' cross country coach, and assistant track coach at Homewood-Flossmoor High School. She began her career at Thornton Township High School before transitioning to...
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From history major to Google project manager: Q&A with alumna Ljubica Basica
Meet Ljubica Basica (BA,'18, history and political science; MBA,'23), a project manager at Google with Mandiant Cybersecurity Consulting. Her journey after graduating with a BA in history and political science led her from working in government, to completing her MBA and now working in...
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From history major to CEO: Q&A with alumnus Thomas Dowling
Meet Thomas Dowling (BA,'18, history and political science), the co-founder and former CEO of TaxProper, a property tax software start-up acquired by Opendoor in 2022. Dowling is currently the director of TaxProper under Opendoor. He was also appointed by Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker to be the...
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Alumnus Adam Beaty creates new digital collection that sheds light on queer nightlife in Champaign County
Editor's Note: The School of Information Sciences profiled history alumnus Adam Beaty and we have reshared it here with their permission. Adam Beaty (BA, '21, history) decided to pursue an MSLIS degree to combine his love of history, the arts, and community-centered...