With Illinois Campaign
College of Media
Celebrating the impact of your generosity
Thanks to the passionate support of our donors who believe in the value of a world-class, innovative education in the College of Media, we raised more than $24 million—over 250% of our With Illinois campaign goal!
These funds have enabled us to provide scholarships to more students and to expand support for faculty research and creative endeavor. We established two new centers—the Richard and Leslie Frank Center for Leadership and Innovation in Media and the Roger Ebert Center for Film Studies. And we completed much-needed renovations in historic Gregory Hall, which now boasts numerous production studio spaces, high-tech iFlex and computer-equipped classrooms, and the Media Technology Center, and look forward to the upgrades to Richmond Studio, home to our broadcast journalism classes, which are currently underway.
We are grateful for your investment, ensuring our next generation is prepared to make an impact on a rapidly evolving media landscape.
Dean
With Illinois Impact
As we mark the end of the With Illinois Campaign, the College of Media has been transformed by donor support.
24766806 Dollars Raised
2277 Campaign Donors
5858 Campaign Gifts
6306039.18 Unrestricted Dollars Raised
448 First-Time Donors
35 NEW FUNDS SUPPORTING SCHOLARSHIPS AND FELLOWSHIPS
With Illinois Highlights
Your support has helped us continue to elevate the values that make Illinois distinctive: a sense of boundless aspiration, collaboration, and a global perspective.
Richard and Leslie Frank Center for Leadership and Innovation in Media
Rich and Leslie Frank have given the largest gift in College of Media history—$7.5 million—to establish the Richard and Leslie Frank Center for Leadership and Innovation in Media. Rich Frank, former president of Disney Studios, and Leslie (Miller) Frank, an Emmy award-winning broadcast journalist, both now vintners and hospitality leaders in Napa Valley, sought to make an investment that would have an impact for generations.
Programming will feature a speaker series, panels, workshops, and residencies with a diverse group of experts and practitioners, coordinated by inaugural director Colleen King, clinical assistant professor of journalism. The Frank Center will also support outside learning opportunities, particularly in journalism, including professional immersion experiences, conference participation, and internships. Read more.
Roger Ebert Center for Film Studies
Thanks to gifts totaling more than $5 million from a collection of donors—inspired by a lead gift from Roger and Chaz Ebert—the Roger Ebert Center for Film Studies will officially launch in 2022. Roger Ebert (BS ’64, journalism) was the first film critic to win a Pulitzer Prize and the first film critic honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Funding will support robust annual programming, including the Ebert Symposium, Ebert Lecture, and a screening series. Inaugural director Julie Turnock, associate professor of media and cinema studies, will coordinate event programming, Ebert research grants and travel grants for film studies, and the Ebert Fellows Program for undergraduate students. Read more.
James W. Carey Fund for Faculty Excellence
To honor their father’s legacy at Illinois and in the field of media, former college Dean James Carey’s four sons endowed the James W. Carey Fund for Faculty Excellence. The fund will benefit College of Media faculty affiliated with the Institute of Communications Research, where Carey earned his doctoral degree, was a research professor, and served as director (1969-1976). The ICR, housed within the College of Media, is the world’s oldest program for interdisciplinary research and doctoral education in communication and media studies. Carey was a student of the media’s role in society, and his commentaries on American civil life are some of the most influential in the field of communication. Read more.
Photo courtesy of the University of Illinois Archives.
Mark L. Brandt Public Engagement Fellows Program
The College of Media received an estate gift of just over $1 million to create the Mark L. Brandt Public Engagement Fellows program for undergraduates. The fund, endowed in perpetuity, will provide internships to Media students to work with college faculty and staff on public engagement projects, and support student participation in programs for first-generation college students, students from underrepresented groups, and/or students with significant financial need. Because of the profound impact that the University of Illinois had on the trajectory of Brandt’s life, his dear friend, fellow Illini, and trustee of his estate, Mary Leyendecker, chose to ensure that his legacy makes a positive impact on students and society for years to come. Read more.
Jack Klues Scholars
With a 35-year career in global leadership roles at renowned media companies, Jack Klues (BS ’77, advertising) understands the power of bringing diverse ideas to the table. He is committed to helping Illinois advertising students from underserved communities gain access to opportunities and drive the industry forward.
In 2015, the Klues Family Foundation donated $1 million to the Charles H. Sandage Department of Advertising to fund scholarships for underrepresented students with significant financial need. Since then, more than 60 students have been aided by this gift. It has funded scholarships, internships, experiential learning opportunities through advertising immersion trips, and support for high schoolers to attend a College of Media summer camp. Read more.
With Illinois Moments
Take a look at a few of the moments that have shaped the culture and character of the College of Media during the With Illinois Campaign.
Continue Your Support
Your continued support ensures the College of Media remains a place where progress and innovation can flourish. Find your passion and help us dream even bigger!
See PrioritiesSee More Impact
Philanthropy has benefited students, faculty, and staff in many ways. Browse the list below to learn more about how the With Illinois Campaign’s impact can be felt across campus.
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