The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences extends congratulations to Brian Heery, a past president of the LAS Alumni Association, who was named as one of the 2007 recipients of a University of Illinois Alumni Association Constituent Leadership Award on the Urbana campus. The award, which was established in 1984, recognizes an alumnus or alumna who has demonstrated extraordinary leadership and/or special efforts within the respective constituent association-in this case the LAS Alumni Association. A constituent association is one of the University's 24 college or department-level alumni associations. Each is affiliated with the campuswide organization but creates programs specifically geared toward the interests of its alumni.
Heery, who is a 1995 graduate of the Department of Speech Communication, was the president of the LAS Alumni Association from 2000 to 2006. During that time, he built consensus among the board members for broadening the reach of the college's highly successful events programming.
Heery joined the LAS Alumni Board to "give back" to the college from which he said he benefited both personally and professionally. His leadership style can be epitomized by the motto: "Leadership is in service to others, not self." His colleagues on the board considered him to be a gifted advocate in honoring all viewpoints and a superb communicator whose gracious and insightful nature made him a welcome advocate for the college. While a board member, Heery was a regular guest at LAS Career Night, offering students advice on career paths.
The award recipients were featured in the March/April 2007 issue of the Illinois Alumni magazine. Heery will be receiving his award during the 2007 LAS Career Information Night dinner on Tuesday, Sept. 25.
