Steven L. Adams-----Class of 1964

By his own admission, Steve indicates that he has been blessed with the opportunity to experience not one, but two careers during parts of the past four decades at Illinois State University, one as an administrator and one as the “Voice of the Redbirds” for basketball and football.

Following graduation from Illinois Wesleyan University in 1968 with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Steve held the position of Assistant Sports Editor for The Pantagraph from 1970-1976, and then began his administrative career at ISU in the Office of Admissions, focusing on new student recruitment and University enrollment. He assumed positions of increasing responsibility, beginning as the Assistant to the Director of Admissions and Records (1976-1980), then the Associate Director of Admissions and Coordinator of School and College Relations (1980-1992) during which time he also served as Interim Director of Enrollment Management (1989), and then Director of Admissions, (1992-2003) during which time he also served as Interim Director of Financial Aid (2000-2001). In 2003, he was promoted to his current position of Assistant Vice-President for Enrollment Management and Academic Services, and charged with creating, from the ground floor up, a unit dedicated to enrollment management and student academic services. His current areas of responsibility include Admissions, Financial Aid, University Registrar, and University College, which involves Academic Advisement, Transition and Orientation Services, Student Support Services, and Testing Services. He oversees the work of more than 200 staff members.

Steve has furthered his formal education through graduate work in Counselor Education at ISU, and he has been a Fellow in the Educational Policy Fellowship Program in Washington, D.C. (1984). Professionally, Steve has held a variety of state and national positions, including: President, Organization of State Universities for Admissions and Records Officers in Illinois (1987), Vice-president of the Administrative/Professional Council at ISU (1988-1994), Member of the Board of Directors for the Illinois Association for College Admission Counseling (1990-1994), Member of the Education Advisory Board for the American College Testing (ACT) Corporation (2004-present), and State Representative from Illinois to the American College Testing Corporation (1999-present).

Among his many awards, Steve earned the Joint Service Commendation Medal from the United States Army, Seoul, South Korea in 1970. In 1990, he was presented the Distinguished Service Award for Administrative/Professional Employees at ISU, and in 1992 he received the Distinguished Service Award from the Illinois American College Testing Council. Also in 1992 he was inducted into the Illinois State University Athletic Hall of Fame with the Stretch Miller Award for “outstanding contributions and distinguished commitment to the Illinois State University Intercollegiate Athletics Program.” In 1995, he was inducted into the Illinois Basketball Hall of Fame, and in 2001, he was presented the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Illinois Association for College Admission Counseling, for “meritorious service to the profession, the rendering of service to the association, and the demonstration of leadership, and service with distinction.”

It was in 1976 when he was given the opportunity to embrace his second career and “labor of love”, becoming the “Voice of the Redbirds”, a position he has held for nearly 30 years. As a part of this role, he was recently the subject of a cover article for the Illinois State Alumni Magazine, and he has hosted televisions shows for Head Basketball Coach Porter Moser and Head Football Coach Denver Johnson.

Steve has also maintained close ties with U-High, assisting students in the college selection process by working in conjunction with the Office of Guidance, an effort which enabled numerous U-High students to receive Presidential Scholarships to attend ISU. He also served as the “Voice of the IHSA State Basketball Tournament” at the Assembly Hall in Champaign when the U-High Pioneers were crowned State Champions in 1995, and currently is active as an Ambassador for the Campaign for the Laboratory Schools.

Steve and his wife Sandi reside in Bloomington. They have 2 daughters, SuzAnne and Katie, 2 sons-in-law, and 2 grandchildren.