Robert James Jones rose from humble beginnings in rural Georgia to become the 10th chancellor of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. After earning degrees in agriculture and building a distinguished research and administrative career, he led the university through major challenges, including a state budget crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic, and campus tensions following global events. In this interview, he reflects on his early life, academic journey, leadership philosophy, and the accomplishments that shaped his tenure.
L.C. arrived at the University of Illinois in 2013 as a librarian and enrolled in the PhD program for information science in 2020. In this interview, he explains what it was like growing up in Grovetown, Georgia, shares his educational journey, and discusses his placemaking experiences as a Black transmasculine student and staff member at the University of Illinois.
Dr. Shaciarra Hamilton, a Clinical Counselor at the University's Counseling Center, grew up in rural Mississippi, attended Grambling State University in Louisiana for undergrad, and moved to Urbana-Champaign during the covid-19 pandemic after completing her doctorate in psychology. In the interview, she discusses the need for more inclusive spaces for BIPOC queer people and describes her experience with building community in town.
