With seven colleges, four research institutes, and $56 million in annual research volume, Illinois Institute of Technology continues to make a difference through its groundbreaking work. New this year, Alumni University offers alumni the opportunity to “come back to class”—virtually—for a glimpse into how our faculty, staff, and researchers are making a real-world impact every day.
Since January alumni have participated in lectures just for them on fermentation, landscape architecture, and cutting-edge diabetes research. They’ve also had the chance to hear first-hand about what’s new on campus, with town halls featuring two of Illinois Tech’s newest leaders, Ed Kaplan Family Institute for Innovation and Tech Entrepreneurship Executive Director Maryam Saleh and Kenneth T. Christensen, the Carol and Ed Kaplan Dean of Armour College of Engineering.
Your student days might be behind you, but for Illinois Tech alumni, learning is a lifelong pursuit. Stay connected, explore new frontiers, and gain insight into how Illinois Tech makes a difference. Join us for these upcoming Alumni University lectures:
Monday, June 14, 2021, 5:30–6:30 p.m. CDT
Beating the Stigma of Mental Illness
Patrick Corrigan
Distinguished Professor of Psychology
Research at Illinois Tech has shown that the stigma experienced by people with mental illness can be as troubling as the illness itself. In this presentation, Distinguished Professor of Psychology Patrick Corrigan will review his research describing the impact of mental illness stigma and effective ways to combat it. One such way is to promote interaction among people with the lived experience of mental illness and the rest of the population.
Wednesday, July 7, 2021, 5:30–6:30 p.m. CDT
Dolly Ludens: Why American Girl Dolls Play Video Games
Carly A. Kocurek
Associate Professor, Digital Humanities and Media Studies
American Girl presents dolls with often lavish accessories—the catalog includes doll kitchens, bedroom sets, and even a bowling alley—and Courtney, the brand’s most recent historical doll, is no exception. The character’s Pac-Man obsession is a fun bit of nostalgia for classic arcade games, and the doll-sized arcade cabinet certainly made a splash. But, why, exactly, is a doll playing video games? Join Department of Humanities Associate Professor Carly A. Kocurek for a talk about dolls playing games and what American Girl’s vision of the 1980s can tell us about our past and present.
Learn more and sign up at iit.edu/alumniuniversity
Have an idea for a speaker or topic you’d like to see? Let us know at alumni@iit.edu.