James J. Stukel
James J. Stukel | |
---|---|
President of the University of Illinois system | |
In office August 1 1995 – January 31, 2005 | |
Preceded by | Stanley O. Ikenberry |
Succeeded by | B. Joseph White |
Personal details | |
Born | College administrator | March 30, 1937
James J. Stukel (born March 30, 1937) is an American former educator who served as the 15th
Early life
James Stukel was born on March 30, 1937, in
Stukel's parents instilled in him a strong work ethic. He would later say, "they were pretty stern regarding my grades and homework...and I always worked."[2] In third grade, he joined the school band. He would practice three to five hours each day on his saxophone. Of his band experience, he said, "nothing was given; it was earned."[2] He would credit his band experiences to force him to set goals. According to Stukel, his "whole life...is based around competition and goal setting."[2]
In
College
A high school chemistry teacher, recognizing Stukel's potential in engineering, drove him to visit Purdue University. He would later joke, "the University of Illinois wasn't in his vocabulary, but he took over the decision-making process."[2] Stukel enrolled at Purdue and joined the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity. To help pay for school, he played saxophone with his dance band, The Spotlighters. The band played music from Woody Herman, Stan Getz, and other jazz artists. During the summer, Stukel would play at resorts.[2]
It was at Purdue that Stukel met his wife Joan Helpling, a
Stukel earned his
Career
After the completion of his Ph.D., Stukel joined the faculty of the
After his four-year tenure as chancellor, Stukel was selected as president of the University of Illinois system by the UI
A residence hall at the University of Illinois at Chicago, the James Stukel Towers, was named after the former president.
References
- ^ "UIUC Library Archives: James J. Stukel Papers" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on September 1, 2006. Retrieved September 28, 2008.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Mabry, Becky (July–August 2004). "Grace Under Pressure". Illinois Alumni Magazine.