Alumni News

Back to the Heart - Many Thanks...

Thank you for allowing the future students of Illini Media to continue the proud traditions you helped create. We extend heartfelt thanks for your contributions, support, and enthusiasm over the years. Our alums, friends and supporters are an amazing, essential component of our ongoing success.

With appreciation on behalf of all the students that will pass through our doors in the future,

Jeff Ponczak Memorial Award

Mary Adamczak
Barbara Bohn
Dave Campbell
Sydney and Binnie Choslovsky
Mary Cory
Laura Coyle
Kit Donahue
Jim and Georgia Dower
Sandra and Jim Dudlicek
Ann Dwyer
Mark Etzkorn
Phil Favorite
Thomas Favorite
Patrick and Deborah Fisher
Loretta Foxgrover
Brian and Molly Good
Richard and Arlene Gumm
Gary Haas
Roy and Nancy Horton
Mrs. Floyd Kalber
Kathy Kalber Kinsella
Paula Kamen
Lynn Kussrow
Adam Lashinsky
Michelle Latimer
Levi Strauss Foundation
Monica and Michael Levy
Jennifer Massey
Melinda Miller
Zac Repking
Catherine Spellman Roberts
Cathy Romans
Dan M. Schramm
Kevin Schweitzer
Barry Sommerfeld
JoAnne & Ed Stanuch
Strategics, Inc.
Victor and Donna Tocwish
Trading Technologies, Inc.
Steven Turk

Tom Thomas, Jr. Memorial Award

Nancy Blair Norman
Scott Bromann
Kathy Cole
Mary Cory
Marge Fahrforth
Jomarie Fredericks and Steven Shamash
Carol Honeywell
Frank, Heather and Bridget Jeffers
Jean and Jerry Jeske
Dale Jockell
Mike and Pam Koziol
Jean M. Leyman
Stacy Marshall-Kern
Mark and Karen Mueller
Malvina and Cheryl Price
Ed and Jan Sackley
Siemens Corporation
Kristina Siman
Barb, Bill, Robby and Jimmy Spigner
Lynne Stiefel
Lauri Thomas
Mike Waldbusser
Bruce and Loraine Walker

Founders

Susan I. Cohen and George E. Monahan, Illini Media Board
Mary Cory, Illini Media 1981-present
Tom and Rose Costello, Illini Media Board
Freedom Forum
Marcia Kramer and Roger Simon, Daily Illini 1967-70
Ralph Nozaki (Rick O'Dell), WPGU, 1976-80
Elaine Richardson and Samuel Grant, Daily Illini 1991-95
Ed and Jan Sackley, WPGU 1972-76
Carl and Barbara Schwartz, WPGU 1958-60
Tom Seymour, WPGU 1990-92
Dennis D. Swanson, WPGU 1958-60

Visionaries

Dan and Nancy Balz, Daily Illini 1965-68
Gail and Taylor Bell, Daily Illini 1958-62
John David and Sarah Reed, Daily Illini 1961-64
Kit and Joe Donahue, Illini Media 1984-present
Betsy Hendrick, Daily Illini 1959-60
Arte Johnson, Daily Illini
    -in memory of Monroe Karmin
AABC Johnson, Illini Media Board
Jean Lachat, Daily Illini, 1985-89
Douglas E. Lee, Daily Illini 1980-84
Ann Walter Malaker, WPGU 1989-93
Jim McKellar, Illini Media 1993-2000
Sarah Min, Daily Illini, 1990-93
Ken Paulson, Daily Illini 1975-77
    -matching gift from Gannett Foundation
JODA Productions, (Joel Rennich), Daily Illini 1993-97
Dave Reuter, WPGU 1987-90
Andrew and Audrey Savikas, Daily Illini 1998-2001
Paul Sevigny, WPGU, 1982-86
Bill Shaw, Daily Illini 1970-89
Richard S. Stockton, Illini Media Board 1993-2000
Ches Wajda, Daily Illini 1992
Lance R. Wilkening, Daily Illini 1984-89
Ronald E. Yates, Illini Media Board

Champions

James W. Armsey, Daily Illini 1937-41
Thomas Besore, Daily Illini 1986-88
Hal Bruno, Daily Illini 1946-50
Howard Diamond, Daily Illini 1996-98
Bob Epstein, WPGU 1970-74
Garland G. Fritts, Daily Illini 1948-52
Michelle Gaffigan Molz, Daily Illini 1985-88
    -in memory of Bob Reid, Journalism Professor
G. Robert Hillman, Daily Illini 1969-72
Paul Ingrassia, Daily Illini 1968-72
Tom Jones, WPGU 1955-56
Emil J. Klingenfus, Daily Illini 1949-52
Karen Lucas Petitte, Daily Illini 1959-63
Michael R. Lufrano and Elizabeth Bodner Lufrano, Daily Illini 1983-87
Charlie Meyerson, WPGU 1973-77
Ira Pilchen, Daily Illini 1982-85
Carrie Gilbert Schmidt, WPGU 1993-95, and Eric Schmidt, Illio 1991-95
Chuck and Martha Scott, Daily Illini, Illio 1982-85
Jim McGuinn Slusarek, Daily Illini, WPGU 1984-88

Friends of Illini Media

Anonymous, WPGU
Anonymous, Daily Illini 1979-81
Anonymous, Daily Illini 1988-91
Anonymous, Daily Illini 1985-88
Ian Besler, Daily Illini 2006-07
    -in honor of Ha Shem
Sean Black, Daily Illini 1991-94
Barbara Bohn, Daily Illini 1985-88
Channing Brown, Daily Illini, Technograph 1977-79
Mike Bushman, Daily Illini 1981-85
Kristan Cockerill, Daily Illini 1986-87
Ray Cohen, Daily Illini 1960-62
David Colburn, Daily Illini 1981-85
Andrew Conneen, Daily Illini 1989-93
Greg Czernik, Daily Illini 1989-91
Christine Czurylo Craven, Daily Illini 1960-63
Brian Dietz, Daily Illini 1991-94
Debora Egelske, Daily Illini 1986-89
Edward Epstein, Daily Illini 1970-74
Michael Friedman, WPGU 1962-64
Carl Warren Gilmore, Daily Illini 1986-87
Jennifer Keogh Hefferly, Daily Illini 1988-92
Jeffrey H. Helberg, Daily Illini 1978-80
    -in memory of Chief Helberg
Roy Hlavacek, Daily Illini 1997-99
Lawrence and Vicki Ingrassia, Daily Illini 1971-74
    -matching gifts from New York Times Foundation
Adam Jadhav, Daily Illini 2000-04
Adam Jung, Illini Media Board
Robin and Chris Kaler, WPGU 1981-83
Ken Kalthoff, WPGU 1975-76
Paula Kamen, Daily Illini 1985-89
Nick Kanel, Daily Illini, WPGU 1988-91
Adrienne Karel Leffler, Daily Illini 1952-52
Ken Keller, WPGU 1961-66
    -in honor of Henry Lippold
T. Brian Kelly, Daily Illini 1983-85
John Kim, Daily Illini 1993-96
    -in memory of Chuck Cass
Arnold Klinsky, WPGU 1962-66
Cathy Martin Hall, Daily Illini 1985-89
Laura Milani Alessio, Daily Illini 1983-87
Melinda Miller, The Daily Illini 1989-93, 2005-present
Carol Mudra, Buzz 2002-05
Joe Paszczzyk, WPGU, 1962-68
Brent Petersen, WPGU 1984-86
Dorothy Puch Lillig, Daily Illini 1993-96
    -matching gift from ExxonMobil Foundation
Gregg Runburg, Daily Illini 1984-86
Terri and Vic Ryckaert, Daily Illini 1993-94
Kristen Schorsch, Daily Illini 2000-03
Kevin Schweitzer, Daily Illini 1989-93
Tom Shilgalis, Daily Illini, 1959-61
Isadore Shrensky, Daily Illini 1951
Jane Skaer-Piasecki, Daily Illini 1986-88
Michael David Smith, Daily Illini 1995-99
Albert Spenadel, Daily Illini 1980-83
Albert Spenadel, DI, Illini Media Board 1980-84
Tom Thomas, WPGU 1974-76
Laura Townsend-Landmann, WPGU 1982-85
Alice Chuan-Lin Tsai, Daily Illini and Illio 1993-96
    -in memory of Mrs. Alice Marie Beck
Garen Vartanian, Daily Illini 1992-96
Paul E. Veith, Daily Illini 1984-87
Susan and Jay Warman Zuckert, Daily Illini and Illio 1997-99
    -in honor of Nancy Elliott
Jay Wilkins, Daily Illini 1985-88
Patrick Windhorst, Daily Illini 1995-97
Wayne Woltman, Daily Illini 1949-53

Honorary Co-Chairs

Hal Bruno, Daily Illini sports staff 1946-50
William Nack, Daily Illini editor in chief 1964-65

Committee Members

Ryan Almon, Illio editor in chief, 1994-95
Mary Cory, Illini Media publisher and general manager
Kit Donahue, Illini Media alumni club director
Jomarie Fredericks, WPGU staff, 1982-84
Herb Kraus, Daily Illini editorial staff, 1937-39
Charlie Meyersen, WPGU staff, 1973-77
Tom Seymour, WPGU sales director, 1990-92
Tom Thomas, WPGU staff, 1974-76

The Illini Media Board of Directors

Susan Cohen, president
Tom Costello, secretary
Amara Enyia, vice president
Barry Glass
Brian Johnson
Eric Jung
Brock Perkes

Hall of Fame Selection Committee

Steve Contorno, Daily Illini Editor in Chief, 2008-09
Mary Cory, Illini Media Publisher and General Manager
Kit Donahue, Illini Media Alumni Club Director
Jordan Dziura, Daily Illini 1989-95, Committee Chair
Jomarie Fredericks, WPGU 1981-84
Kurt Greenbaum, Daily Illini 1983-85
Jean Lachat, Daily Illini 1985-89
Jim McKellar, Illini Media 1993-2000
John David Reed, Daily Illini 1961-64
Ed Sackley, WPGU 1972-76

Thanks for Your Help