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Alumnus Terry Lusby, Jr.
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125 Anniversary Celebration: Terry Lusby Jr.

February 28, 2025

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Editor's Note: This is a series of stories about Western Illinois University students, alumni and community members, highlighting their experiences during our 125th anniversary celebration. We will feature 125 individuals from August 2024 to August 2025.

MACOMB, IL - - Alumnus Terry Lusby, Jr. fondly reflects on the emotional and professional growth he experienced at Western Illinois University. For him, WIU was a protagonist in the journey to becoming his best self.

"Some of the best decisions I've made were made at WIU or because I attended WIU. My emotional and professional growth was highly impacted by choosing to attend WIU and I'm a better man, friend, husband, father, minister and leader because of WIU. The campus environment, friendships, social life, academic rigor, all aligned with my personal interests and values and will always hold a special place in my heart," Lusby said.

For Lusby, being a Leatherneck means striving for excellence while remembering the importance of building a community based on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI).

"Being a Leatherneck means being resilient, hardworking, receptive, excellence-driven, an advocate for DEI and a future thinking problem solver who builds community," Lusby said.

Lusby's favorite Leatherneck memory is the opportunity to engage with the WIU community and develop meaningful relationships with remarkable individuals.

"There are too many memories to name, but overall, meeting extraordinary individuals, developing lifelong friendships, becoming a member of the world's greatest and oldest fraternity for African American men, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and serving as a resident assistant for Wetzel Hall," Lusby said.

Lusby is currently working as the public works director for the city of Champaign, managing and overseeing the infrastructure, environmental programs, recycling services, parking enforcement, yard waste collection, emergency response, customer service and the maintenance of the city's fleet vehicles.

Throughout his professional career, Lusby leaned on everything he learned at WIU, including valuable skills and practical experiences that helped him achieve a successful 20-year career.

"WIU has challenged me and given me knowledge, skills, exposure, practical experiences, career advancement and opportunities to acquire 20 years of professional experience in public works and construction management positions in both the public and private sectors," Lusby said.

Lusby advises prospective students to consider the opportunities and experiences WIU offers for their educational careers.

"WIU is the perfect sized university, it's big enough to challenge your growth, but small enough to provide a personalized education where professors know your name. If you desire an extraordinary college experience, you must be willing to put an extraordinary effort into new experiences," Lusby said.

As we honor 125 years of educational excellence, we invite local WIU students, alumni, faculty and staff to share their stories and be featured in our series. Contact University Communications at U-Communications@wiu.edu to participate.

Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
Office of University Communications & Marketing