Mr. P. J. Thompson

Phillip (P.J.) Thompson Jr. was appointed to the EIU Board of Trustees in January 2017 by Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner. Thompson’s face is a familiar one to the EIU community. He received his bachelor’s degree in sociology from the EIU in 2003 before spending nearly five years as EIU’s alumni events coordinator from 2008-12. He then used the skills he learned and honed at EIU to serve as associate director of alumni relations at Bradley University in Peoria. After that, Thompson moved on to become the director of alumni relations at McKendree University, a private liberal arts institution located in Lebanon, Illinois.

Thompson is active with Associated College of Illinois (ACI) in addition to CASE V and has served on planning committees for both professional organizations. He is passionate about higher education due to the opportunities it has provided him and wants to use the skills and knowledge of the Illinois higher education system to serve his alma mater by "enhancing the wonderful things already being done at EIU."

Thompson currently resides in Belleville, IL and is pursuing a doctorate degree in Education.