WATCH LIVE :: Illinois College celebrates 185th Commencement
Taylor Baucom ’10, award-winning photographer and multimedia producer, will deliver the keynote address Sunday, May 12, as Illinois College celebrates its 185th commencement service.
Approximately 205 bachelor’s degrees will be awarded to members of the Class of 2019. Commencement exercises are scheduled to take place in the Bruner Fitness and Recreation Center at 1:00 p.m. The ceremony marks the historic anniversary of the first commencement in the state of Illinois, and will be available via livestream.
Baucom, a Camp Point, Illinois, native, is senior multimedia producer at The Players’ Tribune in New York City. She collaborates with professional athletes to tell in-depth and personal stories about their lives. Before The Players’ Tribune, Baucom was a photo editor for Major League Baseball in New York City. Baucom’s work has been recognized by the White House News Photographers Association and the Yonkers Film Festival. In 2017 she was named to FOLIO’s 30 under 30 list. One of Baucom’s photos was included in TIME magazine’s Top 100 Photos of the Year in 2014. She has worked with some of the world’s best athletes, including Derek Jeter, Kevin Durant, and members of the U.S. Women’s National Soccer team. Her photo and video assignments have taken her to some of the biggest sports stages, including the World Series, the Stanley Cup and the U.S. Open.
Baucom earned a bachelor’s degree from Illinois College in 2010, with majors in psychology and communications and rhetorical studies. She received a master’s degree in photography at the Newhouse School of Public Communication at Syracuse University.
“Nearly every day at my job, my work is informed by, and better because of, what I learned in my four years at Illinois College,” said Baucom. “In my job today, when I approach a subject or take on an assignment, I rely on what I learned at IC about storytelling and interacting with people. Without my well-rounded and hands-on academic experience in college, I wouldn’t be where I am today professionally.”
The College will host several additional events during commencement weekend. The Illinois College chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, the nation’s first and most distinguished academic honor society, will conduct installation ceremonies for new members. Afterward, a banquet honoring the inductees will be held in Cummings Dining Hall at 6:45 p.m. The cost is $20 per guest.
The popular Osage Orange Festival is scheduled on Saturday, May 11 from 5 to 7:30 p.m. in the Lincoln Hall parking lot, located on the corner of Edgehill Road and Park Street. Admission is free and entertainment — including live music from Devin Clemons Band, inflatables, face painting, games and fun activities for all ages — for all attendees. A variety of the area’s favorite food trucks, including Twyford BBQ, Gyros Stop, Chartwells Catering and Holly Cakes, will provide festive food and drink for purchase, including beer and wine options.
The annual Baccalaureate Service in Rammelkamp Chapel will be held Sunday morning and feature the Illinois College Department of Music. The non-denominational worship service will begin at 10:00 a.m.
For more information about commencement weekend or a particular event, please visit the 2019 commencement schedule.