KEEPING IN STEP: Marching Illini Head to Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

The first time Angela Kucharski saw the Marching Illini perform, she knew she wanted to be a part of it. She got chills as the band
played “Illinois Loyalty,” “Hail to the Orange,” and “Oskee.” Later, after being accepted to Illinois, she tried out for the Marching Illini and secured a spot.

Kucharski was one of nearly 500 Illinois students who tried out for only 65 openings on the Marching Illini this fall. The band’s appearance in the upcoming 2015 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade caused both more retention and more new interest. This is the
biggest band in Illinois history with 375 members.

Watch the Marching Illini during the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on November 26 on NBC and follow the Marching Illini on Twitter @MarchingIllini.

Join the conversation with #ILLINIATMACYSPARADE

At 250 years after Jane Austen’s birth, why do her novels remain so popular?

This week marks the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth — she was born Dec. 16, 1775 — and fans of her novels have been celebrating with tea parties, brunches and balls. Her novels — including “Sense and Sensibility,” “Pride and Prejudice” and “Emma” — enjoy immense popularity. They are the subject of numerous academic […]

Expert Viewpoints Headshot of Shannon Mason, standing outside in front of a tree and wearing a hot pink blazer.

What can we learn about our country’s origins from ‘The American Revolution’ documentary?

Filmmaker Ken Burns’ new documentary — a six-part series on the American Revolution — aired on PBS in November and is now streaming. The documentary describes the American Revolution as “a war for independence, a war of conquest, a civil war and a world war,” and it aims to provide “an expansive, evenhanded look at […]

Announcements Alma Mater statue

Illinois announces first dual-credit initiative, bringing courses directly to high school students

The Learning Accelerator initiative offers the university’s popular general education courses to high school students across Illinois in the form of dual credit — at no cost to those students.

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