Meet Ronaldo Maghirang, whose academic road to C-U included stops in his native county (he earned his bachelor’s and master’s at the University of the Philippines); State College, Pa. (Ph.D. at Penn State); and Manhattan, Kan. (15 years on the faculty at Kansas State).
Since 2019, Maghirang has headed up the UI’s Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, ranked by U.S. News & World Report as one of the best in higher ed.
Away from the office, “between walking Mount Hope Cemetery, Meadowbrook Park and the quads, I’m trying to learn to juggle,” Maghirang says. “The balls, not the budget — though sometimes it feels like both.”
He took Editor Jeff D’Alessio for a virtual tour of some of his most memorable places and spaces on and around the UI campus.
My office on a Friday afternoon in May 2020, deep in the pandemic. The email came in early afternoon — all four of our promotion and tenure candidates had been approved. I immediately started texting faculty to tell them.
One was in the middle of a student defense, so I had to wait. Within a few minutes, I’d reached three of them and was impatiently waiting to get the fourth.
Being new to the job and getting to deliver that kind of news to people you’ve been working with, that’s what it’s about.
The Alma Mater. Everyone takes photos there, but I’d also want them to understand what it represents: Alma Mater welcoming students from all walks of life. That’s the Illinois I believe in.
Mumford Hall 221 for the interview, then presentation at the ACES Library Monsanto Room. Dinner at Biaggi’s, where I probably talked too much about my vision for the department. They hired me, anyway.
The summer humidity. I grew up in the Philippines — hot and humid — so when that Illinois summer weather hits, it’s like being transported back.
Room 208 in our building — we renovated it during the pandemic by knocking down a wall between two classrooms. But honestly, I should mention our whole building, the Agricultural Engineering Sciences Building.
It was built in the ’80s with plenty of “deferred maintenance” — that’s academic-speak for “things need fixing” — but we’ve been steadily upgrading it. It’s home for our department.
South Quad to the west, Mount Hope Cemetery to the south — not a bad location.
Mount Hope Cemetery, right south of our building. Yes, a cemetery. It keeps me grounded, especially early morning, early evening or after a fresh snow.
During the pandemic I also discovered Meadowbrook Park — at dusk, the fireflies come out and it’s like the stars decided to vacation here. Those summer evenings watching them light up — that’s magic you can’t build.
I walk the quads too. I do my best thinking while walking.
The Alma Mater, absolutely. But if I’m being honest, they should leave all the historic buildings alone. We’ve got good bones on this campus, no need to fix what works.
I follow football, basketball and volleyball. There’s always something to cheer for.
Seven Saints. Good sliders, good atmosphere. It’s become my go-to spot when I need to decompress.
