From ACES classrooms to city leadership, Diane Marlin grows the Urbana community

When former Urbana mayor Diane Marlin first set foot on the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign campus as a high school freshman competing in the state science fair, she had no idea the community would one day become her lifelong home. 

As a kid, she was struck by the scale of the Assembly Hall (now the State Farm Center). “It was one of the most awesome buildings I had ever seen in my life,” Marlin said. What she didn’t know then was that this was the place where she would build a career, raise a family, and ultimately dedicate her life to public service. 

Marlin’s journey — from a farm in LaSalle County to the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences to the mayor’s office in Urbana — was in pursuit of making a difference by combining food and community. 

Marlin began her academic journey at the U. of I. in 1971 as a Human Development and Family Studies major, and later returned to complete a master’s degree in Foods and Nutrition, now known as Food Science and Human Nutrition  — both programs are part of the College of ACES. 

“I grew up on a farm, and we raised our own food, baked our own bread, and preserved fruits and vegetables,” she said. “I was always interested in how food contributes to health.”

This passion helped guide her to become a registered dietitian and begin teaching nutrition at Parkland College, where she served as an adjunct faculty member for 15 years. Eventually, Marlin returned to U. of I. to collaborate with child development researchers and later served as program coordinator for the Pampered Chef Family Resiliency Program, now known as the Family Resiliency Center. 

Marlin’s connection to Illinois alumna Doris Kelley Christopher, the founder of the Pampered Chef, Ltd., helped her contribute to the design and construction of Doris Kelley Christopher Hall, now the permanent home of the Family Resiliency Center. 

“Being part of building Christopher Hall from the ground up was one of the proudest accomplishments of my career,” Marlin said. “It started as a vision in a basement lab and became a campus center that continues to serve families today.”

Public service was not originally part of Marlin’s career plans, but her volunteer work pulled her toward civic leadership. As a student, Marlin was a part of a successful statewide environmental movement to protect Allerton Park from being flooded by a proposed dam. Decades later, she co-founded the Southeast Urbana Neighborhood Association to address housing and development concerns of Urbana citizens. 

Through that effort, Marlin connected with residents and elected officials who encouraged her to run for City Council. At first, she thought it was out of reach. “I’ve never taken a class on politics,” she said. “But life experience is what prepares you.” After serving as a City Council representative, Marlin was encouraged to run for mayor.

True to her word, life experience prepared her, and Marlin was heavily supported by the public. In 2017, she was elected mayor of Urbana with an overwhelming 87% of the vote in the general election.

“My career in politics started relatively late in life. I never set out to be mayor, but one step led to another,” she said. “You discover you can do things you never thought you could.”

Marlin’s two terms as mayor were marked by extraordinary challenges and presented long-term planning opportunities. She led Urbana through the COVID-19 pandemic in close partnership with the U. of I., the City of Champaign, and the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District. 

Under her management, federal relief funds were invested in projects with lasting impact, such as the new Urbana Park District’s Health and Wellness Center, Tiger Academy with Urbana schools, and the Tiny Homes Village for medically fragile, unhoused residents. 

Additionally — under her leadership — Urbana completed a new Comprehensive Plan, titled "Imagine Urbana," as well as a Master Facilities Plan. To date, the city has built two new fire stations — a rare achievement for a city of its size. Renovations were also made to City Hall, and Marlin facilitated the completion of a new citywide vehicle storage facility. She also piloted an alternative emergency response team. This program was created to ensure that mental health and nonviolent crisis calls could be addressed by trained professionals, rather than relying solely on police officers. 

“Mayors don’t get to pass the buck,” Marlin said. “We’re the ones who have to get things done. It takes listening, communication, data, and a logical approach, which are all skills I learned during my time in ACES.”

Looking back, Marlin believes her path demonstrates the value of openness and exploration, something she also learned during her time on campus. “Be open to trying as many new things as possible, because you’ll never have that opportunity again,” she said. 

Each career opportunity that Marlin took on allowed her to experience a different path. 

“If you had told me as a freshman that one day I would serve as mayor, I never would have believed it,” she said. “But the University of Illinois gave me the foundation to build a career, a home, and serve the community I love.”