Since at least 1942, Salvadoran students have been attending the University of Illinois. Early Salvadoran Illini have included chemical engineers, civil engineers, and industrial and mechanical engineers too.

Read on to learn more about early Salvadoran Illini!

Illinois – El Salvador Connections

Before the first Salvadoran Illini came to campus, early Illinois – El Salvador connections had already begun. As early as 1919 and 1920, former Ophthalmology Professor Albert B. Hale (Record Series 52/28/20) worked for an engineering firm in El Salvador. At the University Archives, researchers can read his diaries which include an account of his time in El Salvador between January and July 1920.

Illinois – El Salvador connections would deepen beginning at least as early as the 1940s. In 1941, Class of 1935 Journalism graduate Mr. John L. Strohm (Record Series 26/20/75) visited El Salvador, and his journal notes and photographs document his visit to San Salvador.

During the 1950s, a variety of federally funded programs encouraged students in the U.S. to study abroad in countries like El Salvador, and it also supported Salvadoran guests to see campuses in the U.S. too. In 1958, through the Graduate College, the University offered grants for students to study in Latin America. In fact, during the following year, in 1959, Salvadoran president Jose Maria Lemus visited Springfield and addressed the State Legislature. For one week in early April 1959, 23 Salvadoran civil engineering students visited the campus, as part of a month-long tour of engineering projects across the United States.

Not long later, from 1984 through 1991, the student group People’s Alliance on Central American (Record Series 41/66/108) organized to discuss the U.S. military and political involvement in Central America. They produced publications too (Record Series 41/66/808).

Students

Some of the earliest Salvadoran might have arrived during the early 1940s. Mr. Pierre Schwartz, (B.S. Chemical Engineering, 1944), of San Salvador, was active in student life too. In 1942, Mr. Schwartz was initiated into the French honorary association Pi Delta Phi. That same year, Mr. Schwartz was part of a joint Le Cercle Francais and Pi Delta Phi student production of Claude-André Puget‘s “Le Jours Heureux“, where he played the “handsome aviator” Michel Bouilhet. The following year, Mr. Schwartz also joined the multicultural student organization Cosmopolitan Club (Record Series 41/64/8) and he was club librarian (1942-1943) and recording secretary (1943-1944). At the time of graduation, June 1944, Mr. Schwartz was one of forty-five students sent to the annual Y.M.C.A. meeting in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin too. After graduation, Mr. Schwartz continued his education at the University of California.

While she was a student, Ms. Helen Patricia Huber (1942-1943), of El Salvador, received annual New Year’s cards from Salvadoran president General Maximiliano Hernandez Martinez, The Daily Illini reported. As it turned out, Ms. Huber was born and raised in El Salvador, and maintained a personal friendship with the president.

Salvadoran Illini enrollment would continue for decades but many Salvadoran students would leave few records behind. During the 1960s and 1970s, many Latin American students could be found involved in Latin American Students Club as well as professional organizations in their respective programs of study.

Of course there were graduate students too, including Mr. Jorge Alberto Rodriguez Deras (M.S. Civil Engineering, 1969), and Mr. Hector David Hernandez (M.S. Civil Engineering, 1970; PhD Civil Engineering, 1975).

Although Salvadoran Illini documentation is limited after the 1950s, student enrollment figures document a longer history of Salvadoran Illini enrollment which has continued almost with just a few interruptions, since the University centennial in 1967 and hopefully for much longer too.

Are you a Salvadoran Illini? Do you know someone who is? We’d like to hear from you! Please send us a message or leave a comment below. We want to include you and your story, as we celebrate the first 150 years of the University of Illinois.

Happy First 150 everyone!

References

[] As always, a special thank you to all students and staff whose tireless work for student life and publications (many of which are available at the University Archives) help preserve the memories of Illini everywhere.