iSchool to dedicate plaque to Yingbo Zhou

Yingbo Zhou

On September 24, the iSchool will dedicate a memorial plaque to Yingbo Zhou, an MS/LIS student whose life was tragically cut short in 2009 when she died from injuries sustained in a hit-and-run car accident. The plaque, inscribed in both English and Chinese, will be located next to a tree that was planted in her honor following the accident.

"Thank you to Yingbo's parents for giving us the words on this marker, 'Love, wisdom, friendship—UIUC's spirit always,'" said Associate Professor Kate Williams who organized the dedication. "And thank you to the iSchool's Diversity Committee for honoring Yingbo's tree with this sign. This is the first-ever bilingual marker on campus. Truly, much is possible when we work together."

Zhou came to Illinois in 2008, as the first student selected for a "1+1" cooperation program between Zhejiang University and the GSLIS (currently iSchool at Illinois). She received her bachelor's degree in information management and information systems from Beijing Normal University and her master's degree in information resource management from Zhejiang University. While earning her MS/LIS, Zhou worked as a graduate assistant and teaching assistant in the Geographic Information System research group and served as the president of the Chinese Student Group.

A blog created in Zhou's memory recalls her joyful attitude and beautiful smile. "She picked the English name 'Rainbow' as it sounds like her name 'Yingbo.' In a way Yingbo's life was like a rainbow—full of vibrant colors and [she] brought inspiration and happiness to others."

Yingbo Zhou & Chinese student group
Zhou (second row, second from left) poses with members of the Chinese Student Group and visiting scholars in fall 2008.

Hundreds of people gathered at Yingbo’s memorial service at Twin City Bible Church in November 2009 to celebrate her beautiful life. She was laid to rest at Mt. Hope Cemetery in Champaign. The Yingbo Zhou Memorial Fund was established in 2009 with donations from Yingbo's parents, professors, Chinese students, visiting scholars and friends to provide an annual award to a Chinese graduate of the iSchool. It recognizes students for excellence in scholarship, passion for life, being inspirational, and making a positive impact on the iSchool-Chinese community.

"Thanks to the iSchool for providing an important spot for honoring Yingbo's tree with the bilingual marker, and to everyone for contributing to the event. It is much appreciated," said Lian Ruan (MS '90, PhD '11), head librarian and director of international programs at the Illinois Fire Service Institute.

All are invited to the dedication at 2:00 p.m. Monday, September 24, in front of the iSchool building.

Tags:
Updated on
Backto the news archive

Related News

Library Trends "Seventieth Anniversary Celebration" now available

The School of Information Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is pleased to announce the publication of Library Trends 71 (2). This issue, "Seventieth Anniversary Celebration Issue of Library Trends: Influence, Reach, Visibility, and Engagement," reflects the international contributions the journal has made to the field of library and information science.

Library Trends 71

Capshaw to deliver 2024 Gryphon Lecture

Katharine Capshaw, professor of English and associate dean for diversity, equity, and inclusion at the University of Connecticut, will deliver the 2024 Gryphon Lecture on March 21. Sponsored annually by the Center for Children's Books (CCB), the lecture features a leading scholar in the field of youth and literature, media, and culture.

Katharine Capshaw

Campus-community partnership launches new maker-in-residence program

A new program co-led by the Champaign-Urbana Community (CUC) Fab Lab aims to bridge and enhance the creative capabilities of local maker communities. The Champaign County Community (CCC) Maker-in-Residence Program was recently awarded a $29,293 grant through the Campus-Community Compact to Accelerate Social Justice initiative in the Office of Public Engagement.

Cu Community Fab Lab

Kato joins recruitment and admission team

Todd Kato joined the iSchool on January 29 as a senior admissions and records manager. In this position, he will develop and implement innovative programs and processes for admission and records management across all the School's degree programs.

Todd Kato

Cross joins the Research Services team

Julia Cross joined the iSchool in January as a research development coordinator. In her position, she supports faculty during different stages of the research process, helps identify funding sources and pair researchers with specific solicitations, monitors compliance with different research protocols, and provides support to programs such as Scholars in Residence, research fellowships, and the student research experience. 

Julia Cross