The Lincoln Academy of Illinois
Non-profit corporation | |
Purpose | Recognize contributions made by living Illinoisans |
---|---|
Headquarters | Springfield, Illinois |
Region served | Illinois |
President | Governor of Illinois |
Chancellor | Frank Clark |
Vice-Chancellor | The Honorable Ronald Dean Spears |
Executive Director | Leanne Barnhart |
Website | thelincolnacademyofillinois |
The Lincoln Academy of Illinois is a not-for-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to recognizing contributions made by living Illinoisans. Named for
History
After visiting the Illinois exhibit at the
The Academy began awarding Student Laureate awards to outstanding college students in 1975.[1]
Organization
The Academy is overseen by the President, who is the incumbent
The 18 Regents are elected from among the Trustees. There are three types of
Order of Lincoln Award
The Lincoln Academy elects several Laureates annually to the Order of Lincoln, the highest award given by the State of Illinois. The award is presented at a ceremony presided over by the President of the Academy (the Governor of Illinois). The ceremony rotates every three years between Springfield, Chicago, and other areas of the state. Honorees are presented with the Badge of the Academy and a citation of reasons for their selection.[4]
Nominees are usually Illinoisans by birth or residence. Nominations are solicited from the Academy's Officers, Regents, and Rectors. Past Laureates and certain academics may also submit nominations. Candidates are nominated for their contributions to ten fields: agriculture; the arts and performing arts; business, industry and communications; education; government and law; labor; medicine and science; religion; social services; and sports.[5] Laureates are selected at a meeting of the Regents and Trustees.[4]
Selected honorees
- Roger Adams, organic chemist who discovered cannabidiol, awarded 1967
- John Bardeen, physicist and electrical engineer, twice Nobel Prize laureate, awarded 1965
- George Wells Beadle, Nobel Prize laureate 1958, awarded 1966
- Emily Bear, composer and pianist, awarded 2018[6]
- Joseph Bernardin, bishop, awarded 1997[7][8]
- Gwendolyn Brooks, poet, awarded 1997[2]
- Avery Brundage, fifth President of the International Olympic Committee, awarded 1965
- Hillary Clinton, United States Secretary of State, awarded 2014
- Jean Driscoll, wheelchair racer, awarded 2012[9]
- Roger Ebert, Pulitzer prize winning film critic, awarded 2001[10]
- Rudolph Ganz, pianist, conductor and composer, awarded 1965
- Paul Harvey, radio broadcaster, awarded 1987[2]
- Burl Ives, singer, musician, actor, and author.
- Mahalia Jackson, gospel singer, recording artist and civil rights activist, awarded 1967[2]
- Jackie Joyner-Kersee, track and field athlete, awarded 2005[2]
- UIUC College of Engineering alumnus, awarded 2011[11]
- Jim Lovell, astronaut, awarded 2012[2]
- Chief Justice, awarded 2007[2]
- Albert Cardinal Meyer, awarded 1965
- Nathan M. Newmark, structural engineer, awarded 1965
- William A. Patterson, President of United Airlines 1934–1966, awarded 1965
- Walter Payton, football player, awarded 1987[2]
- Ronald Reagan, United States President, awarded 1981[2]
- Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, architect, awarded 1966
- Ryne Sandberg, baseball player for the Chicago Cubs, awarded 2017
- United States Senator, awarded 1998[2]
- religious leader, awarded 1977[2]
- Adlai Ewing Stevenson II, politician, 31st Governor of Illinois, awarded 1965
- Scott Turow, author, awarded 2000[2]
- Studs Terkel, author, awarded 2004[2]
- Louise Taper, historian, awarded 2009[2]
Student Laureate Award
The Lincoln Academy also presents the Abraham Lincoln Civic Engagement award to one graduating senior from each four-year college or university in the state, as well as one student from a community college. Each student, nominated by his/her respective institution, is named a Student Laureate and receives the Lincoln Medal, a certificate of merit, and a civic engagement monetary award. Student Laureates are chosen by the chief executive officers of their respective institutions, who also serve as Academic Trustees of The Lincoln Academy of Illinois. Student Laureates are honored for their overall excellence in curricular and extracurricular activities. The ceremony is held in the
References
- ^ a b c d "A Brief History". The Lincoln Academy of Illinois. 2013. Retrieved January 19, 2014.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "The Honor Roll of Laureates". The Lincoln Academy of Illinois. 2013. Retrieved January 19, 2014.
- ^ a b "Organization". The Lincoln Academy of Illinois. 2013. Retrieved January 18, 2014.
- ^ a b "Frequently Asked Questions". The Lincoln Academy of Illinois. 2013. Retrieved January 19, 2014.
- ^ "Categories of Election".
- ^ Mason, Derrick. "State’s top awards ceremony headed to northern Illinois", JournalStandard.com, April 12, 2018
- ^ "Laureates by Year - The Lincoln Academy of Illinois". The Lincoln Academy of Illinois. Retrieved March 4, 2016.
- ^ "Names in the news". AP News. March 25, 1997. Retrieved March 17, 2020.
- ^ Dickinson, Meg (February 11, 2012). "Driscoll named Lincoln Laureate". The News-Gazette. Retrieved January 19, 2014.
- ^ "Sortable Laureates". The Lincoln Academy of Illinois. 2018. Retrieved March 15, 2019.
- ^ "Shahid Khan". Jacksonville Jaguars, LLC. Archived from the original on March 25, 2014. Retrieved February 25, 2014.
- ^ "Gov. Pritzker Announces 2021 Recipients of the Order of Lincoln: State's Highest Honor Recognizes Excellence in Professional Work, Public Service". The Lincoln Academy of Illinois. November 6, 2021. Retrieved December 3, 2021.