The family of Phil B. Jones, a respected Washington County farmer and community leader, is pleased to announce the creation of the Phil B.

If you look closely at the marble staircases in Mumford Hall, you’ll see imprints worn into the stone—evidence of generations of students passing through, their footsteps leaving a mark.

Each year, the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences at the

Each year, the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Dr.

The world lost a humble giant on July 30, 2023. Steve Gerdes (ACE, ’77) was a man of boundless dreams and even greater determination. His deep love for farming, family, community, and life itself was evident in everything he did and continues to inspire through the legacy he leaves behind.

Since 1978, the Jonathan Baldwin Turner (JBT) Scholar program has recognized a group of talented students each year from the College of Agricultural, Consumer, and Environmental Sciences

Elizabeth Brooks Bruns’ journey from a farm girl to a civil engineer for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers was not without its challenges. Diagnosed with cancer at age 13, and facing several recurrences, Elizabeth had to pause her education multiple times in her teens and early twenties. “It gave me space to think about what I liked to do and took away the pressure to pick a career too quickly,” she recalls.

Albert “Bert” Kemp’s legacy is one of service, hard work, and lasting generosity.

“I want to create something so unique that it will captivate experts and keep everyday people coming back,” said Bradley “Brad” Beam, an entrepreneurial winemaker from Illinois. Since founding Spoon River Junction in 2020, Beam has kept this mission a central focus of his efforts. Yet his journey toward innovative success and passion for winemaking began years earlier.