Alumni

It's midday at the Seed to Table summer camp in the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Food, Agriculture, Nutrition Innovation Center (JJK FAN) in East St. Louis, Ill. The kids have spent the morning learning how to plant, tend to and, yes, even weed a vegetable garden. Now the campers are pivoting into the kitchen to make healthy produce-based snacks with Grace Margherio, a 4-H youth development educator with University of Illinois Extension. "After Seed to Table," Margherio says, "they can visualize how their food grows on plants and want to be more involved in growing and cooking it."

Changes to Illinois divorce laws in 2016 that were expected to speed up cases; discourage adversarial, lengthy litigation; and more evenly distribute parents’ time with their children had little impact on these factors, a new study published in the journal Family Relations reports. However, the amended statutes did encourage more divorcing couples to jointly share major decision-making responsibilities for their children, the researchers say.

International exchange was a foundational experience for Ron and Melanie Warfield, and now, the couple hopes to help students follow in their footsteps. Through a $1 million gift to the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, the couple has created the Ron and Melanie Warfield Global Scholars and Experiential Learning Innovation Fund.

When Pamela Smith, an editor for DTN and Progressive Farmer magazine, spotted a social media post from a friend looking to nurture her daughter’s love of writing, Pam stepped in with an old-fashioned offer: to write letters. 

Domingo Lastra has built a career spanning six countries, and his path to becoming president of Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) of Latin America began at the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. 

Every summer, kids ages 8-13 and their ACES alumni relatives and friends gather on the U. of I. campus for a 3-day immersive experience, providing a sampling of what the College of ACES has to offer. This year’s event runs July 8 to 10, 2026.

Kids can choose from a variety of classes designed to combine fun and discovery. Participants will explore hands-on workshops on topics from food and agriculture to human development, technology, economics, marketing communications, and the environment.

What started as an at-home kitchen hobby has grown into something much bigger: Steepers Only, a Chicago-based tea company founded by Angelica Lee. Each batch she blends is more than just a drink; it's a celebration of the people and places that have shaped her life and gotten her to where she is now.

Lee’s entrepreneurial spark was lit early. She grew up in Chicago and watched her mother run a post-construction cleaning business.

Editor's Note: This story was updated on April 22 to better reflect the five degrees Gregg BeVier earned from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. 

At this spring's commencement, ACES graduates will hear from a five-time Illinois alum whose impact has been felt around the world. Veterinary scientist and business leader Gregg BeVier will share how he leveraged his enduring passion for animal science to develop innovative technologies and help feed hungry families across India and Africa.

The College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES) at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign has named Benjamin Quirke the recipient of the 2026 Robert M. Harrison Leadership Award for demonstrating strong leadership and engagement through his involvement in student organizations and professional experiences within the college.

Two short years ago, during National Ag Day at AgRally in Fort Worth, Texas — an event sponsored by John Deere and broadcast on the RFD-TV network — ACES alum and AgRally co-founder Lyle E. Orwig helped introduce the vision for the Evans Center.