Members of the 1979 graduating class of the Department of Applied Computer Science (ACS), now the School of Information Technology, returned to Normal in May to celebrate the 40th anniversary of their graduation as one of the earliest classes of the fledgling ACS department. The group spent the weekend reconnecting, revisiting old haunts (at least those that still remain!), and exploring the new developments throughout campus and the Town of Normal.
Members of the ACS Class of 1979
Among the group’s activities was a Saturday morning visit to the School of Information Technology (IT) in Old Union. The group learned about the status of the school, the innovative things happening now, and the bright future ahead from Mary Elaine Califf, director of the school. Members of the Class of ’79 shared their memories of days at Illinois State and how their experiences affected their path in life, both in expected and unexpected ways.
Following the visit Craig Westerhold, who helped organized the visit, said: “My 1979 Applied Computer Science colleagues and I would like to thank you for taking time out of your weekend to meet with us on Saturday, May 18, to share an update on the current ISU School of Information Technology. We appreciated the information and updates you shared with us, and enjoyed the opportunity to reminisce a little with you about our earlier time at ISU. You’ve clearly made much progress over the years—keep up the good work!”
“It was great to get a better feel for what the department was like as it was first starting out,” Califf said. “And I always enjoy sharing about the current state of the school, with all of the exciting things going on here.”
The School of IT is always happy to reconnect with alumni. We invite alumni to reach out to us at SchoolofIT@IllinoisState.edu.
