ClarkLindsey says 'welcome back' to Illini AD

Oct. 30—URBANA — One of the nation’s top athletic directors took an hour out of his packed Halloween week schedule Thursday to answer well-prepared questions.

The University of Illinois’ Josh Whitman wasn’t in front of a bunch of reporters, TV types or high-roller boosters.

Instead, Whitman chatted with the uber-pleasant residents at ClarkLindsey. Not your typical setting for a Q&A.

The crowd of more than 100 in the Laing Dining Room greeted Whitman warmly, then later peppered him with a few doozies. (Hint: A recent addition to the Illinois athletic amenities.)

The event was the brainchild of ClarkLindsey’s Becca Guyette. She has known Whitman and his wife, Hope, for a decade.

Whitman had visited ClarkLindsey once before.

“He came right when he started (as AD) about 10 years ago,” Guyette said.

She asked him to return, and Whitman was all for it.

“It was a quick ‘Yes,'” Guyette said. “I’m incredibly grateful to him for giving up some of his time.”

Guyette hopes the Whitman talk becomes the first of a continuous speaker program at ClarkLindsey.

“I would like this to become the start of a community conversation series,” Guyette said. “And to start bringing in individuals from the community to come in and talk to the residents like this on a monthly basis.”

That is her plan for early 2027.

Who does she have in mind?

“I thought it might be fun to have the mayors. Might be fun to have Jayne (DeLuce) come and talk from Experience C-U.”

There are others on her list, and they should expect calls.

Connecting with the UI is a natural for ClarkLindsey. More than half the residents are either alums, former faculty members or one-time members of the school staff.

“Very smart people,” Guyette said. “Very involved. Our resident base is incredibly active, engaged, integrated into the community.

“They love to know and hear what else is happening in the community because this is where they built their life.”

Appreciative crowd

Most of the audience wore Illinois’ orange and blue.

Sandy Reifsteck has been in Champaign-Urbana “all my life.” She was happy to hear from the Illinois sports boss.

“I’m impressed,” she said.

“We’re very enthused. Very supportive of Illinois.”

Reifsteck earned her master’s in education from Illinois. She went into nursing.

Diane Durbin, who spent 11 years at Illinois as a student and earned her doctorate at the school, would like to have Illini athletes visit ClarkLindsey.

“To get to know someone personally,” she said. “I think that would be nice.”

She is a Whitman fan.

“I am very impressed with him as a man and his background as an attorney,” Durbin said. “He’s leading us as far as the NIL is concerned, make sure we don’t make major mistakes.”

David Tjaden, Durbin’s husband, sat near the front of the room during Whitman’s talk.

“I think it’s great to have him,” Tjaden said. “We’re members of Rebounders and Quarterback Club and CourtSiders. To have him here and be able to ask questions and get information about what’s going on with NIL and all that stuff, very important.”

Their turn

Guyette handled the questions for the first half of the program, asking Whitman about leadership, expansion of the department during his tenure and his time in C-U.

“He and his wife Hope are deeply integrated in our community, which I think is what makes them exceptional.”

The last 30 minutes belonged to the crowd and included a question about the new scoreboard at Gies Memorial Stadium.

“There’s been some criticism in the media about Illinois paying for its $20 million scoreboard instead of giving more money to Coach (Bret) Bielema to preserve or upgrade the team. What were some of the factors that went into that decision?”

Whitman was ready with an answer … as if it wasn’t the first time he had been asked.

“We made that decision two-and-a-half years ago that this was going to amplify the in-stadium experience,” Whitman said. “It was going to help us generate more money through sponsorships.

“And we had a gift that was targeted for that purpose. That same money isn’t necessarily interchangeable.”

Whitman also explained Illinois’ and the Big Ten’s support for the Protect College Sports Act that is currently sitting in Congress.

“We’re big proponents of that legislation,” Whitman said.