Alumni Hall of Fame
Emmett Bashful
Emmett Bashful was one of the first African Americans to receive a graduate degree in Political Science from UIUC (M.A., 1947). He went on to teach for many years at Southern University in New Orleans. In 1959 Mr. Bashful became Southern University’s chancellor and served with distinction until his retirement in 1987. As chancellor Bashful fostered Southern University’s growth from one partially constructed building, 15 faculty and 158 freshmen to a campus offering 1,000 courses and servicing over 3,000 students per semester. During his tenure he established a national reputation as a leader in strengthening and creating opportunities for African American students. He has also been very active in various youth organizations.
Throughout his career, Chancellor Bashful has received a large number of awards for his achievements in the field of higher education. He was given the National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education’s Leadership Award in 2002. He also received a citation for service to the National Conference of Christians and Jews, and was named one of the Ten Outstanding Citizens of New Orleans by the Institute for Human Understanding. In 1991 Bashful was given an alumni achievement award by the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at UIUC. He serves on the board of the National Conference for Community and Justice and is on the executive board of the Southern Institute for Education and Research at Tulane University.