A group of men who were students and administrators in the late 1960s and early 1970s recall violence and political turmoil surrounding the Vietnam War, the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr., and more. The group also discusses the first Quad Day and Project 500. Interviewees include David Bechtel, Mark Herriot, Daniel Perrino, Willard Broom, and Hugh Satterlee.
Born and raised in Decatur, Illinois, Ramona (Russell) Pogue Borders received her bachelor of science degree in marketing and management from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1948. Following graduation, Borders worked in the Bureau of Economics and Business Research as a statistician. From 1952 through 1984, she worked as one of the first operators for ILLIAC I (located in 165A Engineering Research Laboratory). She was promoted to computer supervisor and when the Digital Computer Laboratory (DCL) opened in 1958. Borders became the administrative aide in 1968, and when the Computing Services Office (CSO) formed in separation from the Department of Computer Science in 1970, she became one of the first employees of CSO. She retired from the University of Illinois in 1984. In this interview, Borders describes her childhood and education, as well as her experiences as a woman working in this unique computing environment.
Born and raised in Decatur, Illinois, Ramona (Russell) Pogue Borders received her bachelor of science degree in marketing and management from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1948. Following graduation, Borders worked in the Bureau of Economics and Business Research as a statistician. From 1952 through 1984, she worked as one of the first operators for ILLIAC I (located in 165A Engineering Research Laboratory). She was promoted to computer supervisor and when the Digital Computer Laboratory (DCL) opened in 1958. Borders became the administrative aide in 1968, and when the Computing Services Office (CSO) formed in separation from the Department of Computer Science in 1970, she became one of the first employees of CSO. She retired from the University of Illinois in 1984. In this interview, Borders describes her childhood and education, as well as her experiences as a woman working in this unique computing environment.
Raynard Hall had always knew he wanted to go to college, despite his dad having different ideas for him. He only learned about Project 500 after arriving at Illinois in August 1968. It didn't take long for him to get involved with student activism on campus, although he describes the Sep. 10, 1968 incident at the Union in passive terms: as a "Wait-In" opposed to something more purposeful like a "Sit-In." He remembers having a lot of fun during his time as student, which he attributes to the networking opportunities that being a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity opened up for him. Listen to hear the one piece of advice he feels is applicable to incoming freshmen and outgoing seniors alike.
Rebecca McBride retired from Krannert Center in 2016 as Senior Associate Director after twenty-four years. A member of Krannert Center's 50th-Anniversary Community Celebration Committee and a consultant to the Center on its 50th-Anniversary celebration, Rebecca also provides marketing, strategic planning, and communications consulting to other non-profit organizations.
