Town ISU

Q&A with state climatologist Trent Ford ’11: Why is Illinois becoming a tornado hotspot? The record-breaking tornado activity for 2026 in Illinois is "remarkable," according to Dr. Trent Ford '11, who has served the people of Illinois as state climatologist since 2019.

One in 42 million: How two Redbirds became a lifesaving match When Abbigail Hoerbert ’23 swabbed her cheek and joined the national stem cell registry in August 2023, she figured she’d never hear back. Only four months later she got the call.