Description: As a high school senior in Danville, Patricia McKinney-Lewis hadn’t originally planned on applying to and coming to the University of Illinois. Participating in American Legion Conferences held annually at Gregory Hall gave her a very high opinion of Illinois’s prestigiousness; making her think it may be too hard to get in to. Project 500 Recruiters convinced her otherwise, and 3 degrees later, she gives back to her Danville community by inspiring students to pursue higher education, investing in scholarships, and reaching back to help the children in any way she can. Patricia’s interview includes some unique insights from her participant role in the September 10, 1968 Union Demonstration.

Date of Interview: September 13, 2018

Interviewer: Jessica Ballard

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