Gifts in Action
Dr. Hill (right) with Dean Gallagher during a campus visit in 2004.
Former Students, Colleagues, and Friends Honor
Dr. Phyllis Jo Hill
"To commemorate in perpetuity the contributions of this remarkable individual is extremely meaningful,” shares Dean Tanya Gallagher. “It will be a true honor to continue Dr. Hill’s legacy by encouraging and rewarding those who aspire to follow in her footsteps."
As a former professor and administrator in the College of Applied Health Sciences,
Dr. Phyllis Jo Hill (1928-2008) had a profound effect on the lives of
innumerable students and colleagues at the University of Illinois. Although she retired from the
University in 1977, her impact was far reaching as she was considered a life changing mentor by
many.
To honor this beloved teacher, colleague, family member, and friend, more than
100 individuals generously contributed to a fund that memorializes
Dr. Hill as a faculty mentor to students enrolled in the
Edmund J. James Scholar Program, an
honors program that she considered a very important part of the Illinois undergraduate
experience.
As of June 30, 2009, gifts totaling more than $25,000 were received by the University of Illinois
Foundation enabling the fund to be permanently endowed. The first Phyllis J. Hill Award
for Exemplary Mentoring in the Edmund J. James Scholar Program will be awarded at the end of the
2009–2010 academic year. The award will annually recognize a faculty member in the College of
Applied Health Sciences who has done an outstanding job of guiding students through their James
Scholar experience, a fitting tribute to a woman who defined excellence in student-teacher
relations.
As the Phyllis Hill Memorial Fund grows, it will also support outstanding students who
participate in the Edmund J. James Scholar Program. Contributions to the fund can be made by
going to our online giving page and indicating the Phyllis Hill
Memorial Fund as your gift designation.
Family Honors Parents' Anniversary
The children of Floyd and Etta McAfee, in honor of their parents' 50th wedding anniversary,
established a fund to support students in the College of Applied Health Sciences. The Floyd and
Etta McAfee Award was fully endowed this past year, and the interest income provides permanent
annual support for students who have a commitment to multicultural issues. Students within any
academic unit of the college are eligible to apply.
Floyd H. McAfee earned his bachelor’s degree from the U of I in 1957 Achieving the rank of colonel,
Floyd retired from the U.S. Army in 1984, earning two masters’ degrees along the way and teaching at United
States Military Academy, West Point, NY for three years. At the time of his death, Colonel McAfee served as
associate dean of business at the Charles S. Mott Community College.
Etta Ulmer McAfee divided her time among raising their four children, taking college courses, and
campaigning for social causes. She was the first African-American social director at the Unites States
Military Academy and a founding member of the first Army Family Worldwide Symposium. Etta combined her
love for family, her interest in the human condition and her political passions into a lifelong career
of giving back to her community.
Estate Gift Benefits Students in KCH
Thanks to their advance planning and charitable intent of Joanne McCarty Carraway (PEW '51)
and Charles Carraway, students in the Department of Kinesiology and Community Health will benefit
for years to come.
Joanne Carraway was actively involved in girls' sports, which influenced her decision to
pursue a degree in the physical education for women program. As a high-spirited University of
Illinois student in the late 1940s and early '50s, she lived in McKinley Hall and was a member
of the Women's Athletic Association.
The Joanne M. Carraway and Charles M. Carraway Scholarship Fund was established at the University
of Illinois and a similar fund was created at Charles' alma mater, Louisiana State University. As
endowments, the principal remains intact and only the interest used so that the scholarships become
permanent sources of student support at both institutions.
First Interdisciplinary Fellowship Established in Kinesiology and Engineering
William A. and Carol L. Chittenden of Elmhurst, Illinois donated $500,000 for the first fully-funded
endowed fellowship in the College of Applied Life Studies. The gift funds a fellowship and graduate award
in the department of general engineering and a scholarship and fellowship in the department of kinesiology.
The fellowships will promote collaborative, interdisciplinary research between the departments. The
Chittendens have provided generous support for many years to the University of Illinois athletics,
engineering, and kinesiology.
Carol Chittenden, a physical education major while at the University, has been a strong advocate of
physical fitness, serving as a volunteer for several community health organizations.
A 1950 general engineering graduate, Bill Chittenden spent most of his professional career with the
Chicago firm Sargent & Lundy and retired as senior partner in 1991. He received the General Engineering
Gamma Epsilon Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1978 and the Alumni Honor Award for Distinguished Service
from the College of Engineering in 1989. He remains actively involved with the College of Engineering,
serving on the Dean's Board of Visitors since its inception in 1981.