Dr. Lori Riverstone in the Department of Politics and Government at Illinois State University has been recognized as the recipient of the 2024-26 Thomas E. Eimermann Professorship. Her research project will examine community advocacy efforts.

Dr. Riverstone graduated with a masters of public administration and a doctorate in political science from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville and joined the Department in 2007. She recently received two three-year external grants (2023-26; 2019-22) from Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to support an annual publication reviewing recent efforts on the part of some states to preempt or otherwise disrupt progressive local policies.

The Thomas E. Eimermann professorship was created through funds donated by ISU alum David Crumbaugh in honor of his former Professor Thomas Eimermann. Dr. Eimermann taught law-related classes for 38 years, founded and directed the mock trial program, and served as ISU’s first pre-law advisor. Between 1992 and 1998, he was also chair of the Political Science Department.