Barb and Keith Anderson, proud Illini and lifelong champions of agricultural communications, now call South Carolina home — where they parade their Illini golf cart each year in a celebration of college colors (pictured above). In their own words below, they reflect on the deep, personal impact of Dr. Jim Evans — the mentor who brought them to Illinois, shaped their lives and careers, and inspired their generous support of the James F. Evans Global Center for Food and Agricultural Communications.
It’s a great privilege to honor Dr. Jim Evans — a man who has profoundly influenced our professional and personal lives — by contributing to his legacy at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the field of agricultural communications through the James F. Evans Global Center for Food and Agricultural Communications.
Dr. Evans knew about us, Barb Baylor and Keith Anderson, before either of us knew about him…or each other! Jim personally recruited each of us to enroll in AgCom at Illinois — Barb as a freshman through her involvement with the National Junior Angus Association, and Keith as a junior transfer student through his involvement with FFA.
Like so many others he sought and brought to Illinois, Jim made us feel special and understood. As a member of 4-H House, Barb had the additional opportunity to benefit from Dr. Evans’ and his wife Marlene’s dedication to serving as the house’s advisers. The time they invested in the girls of the house provided another chance for Dr. Evans to touch many lives.
Through both our careers and 38-plus years of marriage, we both believe Dr. Evans was one of the greatest influences on who we became as people and as professionals. To this day, you cannot attend any ag event without knowing multiple people willing to testify to his impact.
Dr. Evans is an encourager who demonstrates that listening is the most important aspect of communication. If you were to ask Jim, I’m sure he would say that his legacy is written, not through his own significant contributions as a true pioneer in the global field of agricultural communications, but through the success of each student he guided through the formative years of their careers. He is more comfortable shining the spotlight on others than he is stepping into it himself. Today, we are honored to stand among myriad students, colleagues, and academia to turn the spotlight on Jim Evans as a beacon of excellence in the field to which he has dedicated his life. May Jim’s influence continue to shine brightly for generations to come.