Alumnus and former professor shares memories of Everitt Lab

The University of Illinois has helped motivate bright students for the past 150 years. This year the university will host a sesquicentennial celebration that will highlight the accomplishments of our university and the ambitious vision we have for the future.

Alumnus and former ECE ILLINOIS professor Kent Fuchs (MSEE '82, PhD EE '85), who currently serves as the President of the University of Florida, remembers his time on campus in an article published by The News-Gazette in anticipation of the celebration that begins in February.

"My strongest memory of a physical place is the intersection of west Green and south Wright streets — the center of my university life for 17 years. Everitt Lab was on the northeast corner, and it was there that I took my classes and served as a TA in my early years as a graduate student. Although my office later moved to a different building, it was in Everitt Lab that I taught courses and went to faculty meetings in my years as a faculty member," Fuchs recalls about the Illinois campus.

"Since leaving Illinois in 1996, I have worked at three other comprehensive land grant universities and have always worn the Illinois orange and blue at commencement as my robe and hood. We had three December commencements last month here in Gainesville. Fortunately, the University of Florida's colors are also orange and blue.”

The Illinois Sesquicentennial Kickoff event at the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts on Tuesday, February 28. There will also be several major projects throughout the year, including design-centered opportunities for students to contribute ideas for the new Siebel Center. Musical works and published books will be dedicated to Illinois during this time and museum exhibitions will appear all over campus. To learn more about the major events and projects of the University of Illinois' Sesquicentennial, visit 150.illinois.edu.