Alumni, the public invited to experience Paul Stoddard’s last lecture before retirement
When the semester ends this May, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign will say goodbye to one of its most beloved professors. Paul Stoddard is retiring after more than 25 years of dedicated service to the university and the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences.
Stoddard will deliver a final public lecture at 5 p.m. on April 21, 2026, at Foellinger Auditorium — and all are invited. Those wishing to attend in person can register online. In addition, the Center for Innovation in Teaching and Learning (CITL) will live-stream and record the lecture for those who can’t make it back to campus. Access the live-stream and recording.
As a senior lecturer in the Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics, Stoddard teaches agricultural marketing, commodity futures and options, food and agribusiness management, and negotiations. His classes are legendary for his engaging style and the inspirational life lessons he sprinkles in. And despite having taught more than 12,000 students over the years, Stoddard famously gets to know each one by name.
“A beloved teacher, mentor, and colleague, Paul has challenged generations of students to think critically, lead with integrity, and pursue meaningful work,” said Sarah Low, head of the Department of ACE. “His impact reaches far beyond the classroom, and his legacy lives on in the countless students he has inspired.”
Stoddard joined the University of Illinois full-time in 2012, after many years of adjunct instruction. This move followed a 30-year career in agricultural real estate, commodity trading, farm management, and agricultural lending. He spent 14 years with Farm Credit Illinois, eventually serving as Chief Appraiser. Learn more about Stoddard’s journey to teaching.
Stoddard earned numerous awards for teaching and advising, appearing on CITL’s annual list of “teachers ranked as excellent by their students” for 46 consecutive semesters and receiving a Campus Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching in 2020. The College of ACES recognized him in 2014 with a teaching associate award and in 2020 with the Karl E. Gardner Outstanding Undergraduate Adviser Award. He was also recognized with a North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture Educator Award in 2014, and an Earl and Mildred Hughes Teaching Enhancement Award in 2014 and 2022.
But to Stoddard, the accolades were never as important as his genuine connections with his students and the part he might play in their future success.
“As I retire, my main emotion is gratitude,” Stoddard said. “I am grateful to all the students over the years who so openly shared their thoughts, questions, stories, and dreams at such a critical time in their intellectual and personal development. Because of them, the University of Illinois is a magnificent place to teach. To all of them, I offer a heartfelt ‘thank you’ and ‘stay curious!’”
To experience Stoddard’s teaching one last time, be sure to register or tune in on April 21.
Contributions in Stoddard’s honor can be made online. To explore other giving opportunities, contact the College of ACES Office of Advancement at 217-333-9355 or acesadvancement@illinois.edu.