James J. Stukel

Infobox University President
name =James J. Stukel


caption =Technology Administration Under Secretary Bond (left), former Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert (center), and James J. Stukel (right) on September 29, 2004.
order =15th
university =President of the University of Illinois system
term_start =1995
term_end =2005
birth_date =March 30, 1937
birth_place =Joliet, Illinois
death_date =
death_place =
predecessor =Stanley O. Ikenberry
successor =B. Joseph White
alumnus =Purdue University, University of Illinois College of Engineering
residence =
profession =Academic Engineer
religion =
salary =
spouse =
children =
website =
footnotes =|

James J. Stukel (born 1937) served as the 15th President of the University of Illinois.

Early Life

James Stukel was born on March 30, 1937 in Joliet, Illinois to Philip and Julia Stukel.cite web
last =
first =
title = UIUC Library Archives: James J. Stukel Papers
url= http://web.library.uiuc.edu/ahx/uasfa/0215020.pdf
accessdate = 2008-09-28] Citation
last = Mabry
first = Becky
author-link =
title = Grace Under Pressure
journal = Illinois Alumni Magazine
volume =
pages =
date = July/August 2004
year = 2004
url = http://www.uiaa.org/urbana/illinoisalumni/utxt0404a.html] James and his sole sibling, a sister 13 years older than him, had a modest upbringing. His father, a pulp mill worker, and his mother, a homemaker, maintained a small, clapboard house. While neither of his parents had more than an eighth grade education, Mr. Stukel would say of them, "my father had a real gift for numbers. He could do things in his head that were remarkable, and my mother was extremely sharp until the day she died...they were...bright."Citation
last = Mabry
first = Becky
author-link =
title = Grace Under Pressure
journal = Illinois Alumni Magazine
volume =
pages =
date = July/August 2004
year = 2004
url = http://www.uiaa.org/urbana/illinoisalumni/utxt0404a.html] His parents began to save for his college education soon after his birth. Citation
last = Mabry
first = Becky
author-link =
title = Grace Under Pressure
journal = Illinois Alumni Magazine
volume =
pages =
date = July/August 2004
year = 2004
url = http://www.uiaa.org/urbana/illinoisalumni/utxt0404a.html]

Mr. Stukel's parents instilled in him a strong sense of work ethic. He would later say, "they were pretty stern regarding my grades and homework...and I always worked."Citation
last = Mabry
first = Becky
author-link =
title = Grace Under Pressure
journal = Illinois Alumni Magazine
volume =
pages =
date = July/August 2004
year = 2004
url = http://www.uiaa.org/urbana/illinoisalumni/utxt0404a.html] In third grade, James 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." Citation
last = Mabry
first = Becky
author-link =
title = Grace Under Pressure
journal = Illinois Alumni Magazine
volume =
pages =
date = July/August 2004
year = 2004
url = http://www.uiaa.org/urbana/illinoisalumni/utxt0404a.html] He would credit his band experiences to force him to set goals. According to James, his "whole life...is based around competition and goal setting."Citation
last = Mabry
first = Becky
author-link =
title = Grace Under Pressure
journal = Illinois Alumni Magazine
volume =
pages =
date = July/August 2004
year = 2004
url = http://www.uiaa.org/urbana/illinoisalumni/utxt0404a.html]

In junior high, James started a paper route to earn income. In high school, he entered into student politics and was elected junior class president. His opponent would later remark that James was a, "class act" and an, "outstanding student and quiet leader."Citation
last = Mabry
first = Becky
author-link =
title = Grace Under Pressure
journal = Illinois Alumni Magazine
volume =
pages =
date = July/August 2004
year = 2004
url = http://www.uiaa.org/urbana/illinoisalumni/utxt0404a.html]

College

A high school chemistry teacher, recognizing Stukel's potential in engineering, drove James 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."Citation
last = Mabry
first = Becky
author-link =
title = Grace Under Pressure
journal = Illinois Alumni Magazine
volume =
pages =
date = July/August 2004
year = 2004
url = http://www.uiaa.org/urbana/illinoisalumni/utxt0404a.html] James enrolled at Purdue and joined the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity. To help pay for school, James played saxophone with his dance band, The Spotlighters. The band played music from Woody Herman, Stan Getz, and other jazz artists. During the summer, James would play at resorts.Citation
last = Mabry
first = Becky
author-link =
title = Grace Under Pressure
journal = Illinois Alumni Magazine
volume =
pages =
date = July/August 2004
year = 2004
url = http://www.uiaa.org/urbana/illinoisalumni/utxt0404a.html]

It was at Purdue that James met his wife Joan Helpling, a majorette with the Purdue marching band. The two toured Europe as members of a variety band. They would marry during their senior years. Stukel would later comment on his wife, "I [have] been...lucky in that I have a very supportive wife who...influenced the way i developed...in...positive ways."Citation
last = Mabry
first = Becky
author-link =
title = Grace Under Pressure
journal = Illinois Alumni Magazine
volume =
pages =
date = July/August 2004
year = 2004
url = http://www.uiaa.org/urbana/illinoisalumni/utxt0404a.html] Stukel graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering from Purdue shortly after his marriage. The couple then moved to Virginia.Citation
last = Mabry
first = Becky
author-link =
title = Grace Under Pressure
journal = Illinois Alumni Magazine
volume =
pages =
date = July/August 2004
year = 2004
url = http://www.uiaa.org/urbana/illinoisalumni/utxt0404a.html]

He earned his M.S. and Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Career

After the completion of his Ph.D., President Stukel joined the faculty of the Engineering College. He rose to the level of Associate Dean before transferring to the University of Illinois at Chicago. While there, he served in a variety of administrative capacities, assuming the roles of the Vice-Chancellor for Research, the Vice-Chancellor for Academic Affairs, and finally, Chancellor of the campus.

After his four-year tenure as Chancellor, James Stukel was selected as President of the University of Illinois system by the UI Board of Trustees. He served in this capacity for approximately 10 years (1995-2005) and was succeeded by B. Joseph White.

References

External Links

* [http://www.illinimedia.com/di/news/278 Daily Illini, "University remembers, recounts Stukel's tenure"]