James J. Stukel

James J. Stukel
James J. Stukel on September 29, 2004.
15th President of the University of Illinois system
In office 1995–2005
Preceded by	Stanley O. Ikenberry
Succeeded by	B. Joseph White
Personal details
Born	(1937-03-30) March 30, 1937 (age 80) Joliet, Illinois
Alma mater	Purdue University, University of Illinois College of Engineering
Profession	Academic Engineer

James J. Stukel (born March 30, 1937) served as the 15th President of the University of Illinois.

James Stukel was born on March 30, 1937 in Joliet, Illinois to Philip and Julia Stukel. James and his sole sibling, a sister 13 years older than he was, had a modest upbringing. His father, a pulp mill worker, and his mother, a homemaker, maintained a small, clapboard house. While neither of his parents had more than an eighth grade education, Mr. Stukel would say of them, "my father had a real gift for numbers. He could do things in his head that were remarkable, and my mother was extremely sharp until the day she died...they were...bright." His parents began to save for his college education soon after his birth.

Mr. Stukel's parents instilled in him a strong work ethic. He would later say, "they were pretty stern regarding my grades and homework...and I always worked." In third grade, James joined the school band. He would practice three to five hours each day on his saxophone. Of his band experience, he said, "nothing was given; it was earned." He would credit his band experiences to force him to set goals. According to James, his "whole life...is based around competition and goal setting."

In junior high, James started a paper route to earn income. In high school, he entered into student politics and was elected junior class president. His opponent would later remark that James was a, "class act" and an, "outstanding student and quiet leader."

A high school chemistry teacher, recognizing Stukel's potential in engineering, drove James to visit Purdue University. He would later joke, "the University of Illinois wasn't in his vocabulary, but he took over the decision making process." James enrolled at Purdue and joined the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity. To help pay for school, James played saxophone with his dance band, The Spotlighters. The band played music from Woody Herman, Stan Getz, and other jazz artists. During the summer, James would play at resorts.