Deborah Briggs (MS '81 Music Education)
Deborah Briggs has spent the last 20 years in positions dedicated to the arts, most recently as vice president for philanthropy, arts, culture, and education at the Betsy Hotel in Miami Beach, Florida. At the Betsy, she created what has been called "one of the most creative hotel brands in the world."
Michelle Boulé (BFA '99 Dance)
Michelle Boulé is a choreographer, performer, teacher, and certified BodyTalk practitioner based in New York. Among her many accolades, she was honored with a 2010 New York Dance and Performance ("Bessie") Award for her performance as James Dean and collaboration in the creation of Last Meadow.
Anton (Tony) Majeri Jr. (BFA '67 Graphic Design)
Tony Majeri made his mark as a pioneer and innovator in publication design at the Chicago Tribune, combining his artistic skills with a deep appreciation for the role of journalism in a free society. He co-founded the Society of News Design, a worldwide organization dedicated to the advancement of visual journalism, and showed leadership in his embrace of multimedia storytelling.
Juan Salgado (MUP '93 Urban Planning)
Juan Salgado, chancellor at City Colleges of Chicago, has focused his 20-year career on improving education and economic opportunities for residents in low-income communities. He oversees Chicago's community college system, serving more than 80,000 students across seven colleges. As a community leader, he has worked to help immigrants overcome barriers to success in the workplace. Salgado has been nationally recognized for his work, most recently as a 2015 MacArthur Fellow.
Altaf Engineer (MARCH '05, PhD '15 Architecture)
Altaf Engineer is an assistant professor at the University of Arizona College of Architecture, Planning, and Landscape Architecture. He is a research faculty member in the UA Institute for Place and Wellbeing, which integrates medical research with design practices to address how built spaces affect human psychology and physiology.
James Bier (MS '57 Geography)
Since the inception of a permanent facility for Japan House in 1998, James Bier has been integral to the development of the grounds. He directed the design and plan of the ponds and created the traditional tea garden and the dry, or karesansui, garden. Through his dedication and knowledge of Japanese design and gardening, he has created one of the jewels of the University of Illinois campus.
Joan and Alexander Murray
Throughout their 40-plus years in Urbana, the Murrays have given generously of their time to teaching our students and faculty in the Alexander Technique. They are being honored for their immense knowledge, continuing curiosity and commitment in evolving their teaching practices, and generosity in offering lessons and training to students, faculty, and the community.
