Emmy and Golden Globe winning actress Jane Lynch ’82 is most famous for her role as Sue Sylvester on Fox’s Glee and currently hosts the NBC game show Hollywood Game Night. In 2017, the School of Theatre Arts alumna was granted an honorary doctorate degree by Illinois State University in recognition of her artistic achievements.

In this video created for Redbirds Rising: The Campaign for Illinois State, Lynch says, “[Professors] help us discover what it is we do best which, ultimately, we give to the world. And my hope is that together we can ensure that this special place continues to transform lives for generations to come.”

Lynch has given $25,000 to the Dr. Alvin (“Al”) Goldfarb Student Theatre Fund. The fund will be used to help pay for theatre tickets and travel expenses for students in the School of Theatre and Dance to attend live theatre performances and productions regionally, nationally, and internationally. Faculty teaching theatre classes can use the funds for their class or for a group of students in spring or fall each year. Funds are also used for students to attend theatre-related events and conferences.

To learn more about how you can get involved with Redbirds Rising, visit RedbirdsRising.IllinoisState.edu or call (309) 438-8184. Follow Facebook.com/ISUGiving for campaign news and stories of impact. Click here for more photos from the campaign kickoff.

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