Inspired by the recently published book, Radicals in the Heartland: The 1960s Student Protest Movement at the University of Illinois by Michael Metz, University of Illinois Press hosted a series of panels and presentations in October 2019 exploring the past and present of student activism at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The Student Life and Culture Archives conducted oral history interviews with alumni who participated in the demonstrations during their time on campus.
In the first of six interviews, Eisenman provides details of his educational experiences at Harvard and the University of Illinois, including his work reporting on the Illini Union protest on September 10, 1968. He also describes his work during the UI centennial and the creation of scholarship funds for students who could not otherwise afford the fees required to attend UIUC.
In part two of his interview, Eisenman focuses on his time working in Governor Ogilvie's administration to lower the cost of higher education by allowing the cost of tuition to rise, but providing more scholarships for low-income students. Additionally, he discusses the Illinois Blood Labeling Act, the creation of a large-scale blood drive at the University of Illinois, and local politics regarding the Champaign County Blood Bank.
