Rosilie Hernández, who has worked at UIC since 2001, is the new dean of the Honors College. (Photo: Jenny Fontaine/UIC) Listen to story summary

As a first-generation college student, Rosilie Hernández learned early on that success is rarely a straight line. Now, as the newly appointed dean of the UIC Honors College, she wants to share that life experience. 

“Challenges, setbacks and even failures are not signs that you do not belong; they are often the experiences that help you grow the most,” Hernández said. “I hope to encourage Honors College students to see every experience as an opportunity to learn.”  

Hernández has been with UIC since 2001, when she began in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences as an assistant professor in Hispanic studies.  

At UIC, she rose to become a full professor and took on several administrative roles, including as head of the Hispanic and Italian studies department; director of the School of Literatures, Cultural Studies and Linguistics; and senior associate dean of student academic affairs in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.  

Her parents met in New York City as recent immigrants while working toward their GED credentials. After several years, they returned to Puerto Rico, where Hernández was born and raised. By emphasizing the value of education, they instilled in their daughters a commitment to academic achievement that led both Hernández and her sister to earn advanced degrees. 

“There is no single first-generation experience,” Hernández said. “It encompasses students from a remarkable variety of backgrounds and identities, making it one of the most inclusive and distinctive aspects of the UIC community.” 

As dean, she seeks to ensure that all 2,000 Honors College students, regardless of their background or path to higher education, benefit from a transformative experience enriched by dedicated support, meaningful advocacy, and unparalleled opportunities for academic and personal growth. 

Hernández spoke with UIC today about her role as dean of the UIC Honors College.  

  
What is the role of the Honors College at UIC?

The Honors College serves as UIC’s model for inclusive excellence, demonstrating that academic distinction and broad access can go hand in hand. It attracts, supports and challenges high-achieving students from across the university by creating distinctive pathways to success.   

Through rigorous academics, research and creative inquiry, experiential learning, leadership development and faculty mentorship, the Honors College helps students make the most of UIC and prepare for lives of impact and purpose.  

Throughout your career, you’ve combined scholarship, teaching and academic leadership. Which do you believe will be most valuable in helping honors scholars reach their full potential?  

As a scholar, I hope to cultivate discovery, evidence-based reasoning, considered judgment and intellectual ambition. 

As a professor, I seek to create an environment of thoughtful dialogue and mentorship, helping students integrate the many facets of their educational experience into a cohesive journey of intellectual, personal and professional development. 

As an academic leader, I am dedicated to creating opportunities, fostering connections and removing barriers so that every student can take full advantage of the exceptional resources, partnerships and experiences that the Honors College has to offer. 

Ultimately, my goal is to help honors scholars transform their academic potential into lifelong purpose by developing the confidence, perspectives, skills and empathy necessary to lead with purpose and contribute meaningfully to their communities. 

What opportunities do you see for building on the Honors College’s existing strengths?

The Honors College already benefits from exceptional students, dedicated faculty fellows, committed staff, and a strong culture of academic accomplishment and engagement. Building on this foundation, I am eager to cultivate greater collaboration across UIC’s colleges, departments and centers, harnessing the depth and breadth of expertise that exists throughout our faculty and research community. 

Ultimately, my goal is to ensure that every honors scholar graduates not only with an outstanding academic record but also with the experiences, competencies and networks that allow them to thrive.  

The Honors College brings together some of UIC’s most ambitious and engaged students. What excites you most about the potential of this community? 

What excites me most about the Honors College is the extraordinary potential that comes from bringing together talented, curious and civically committed students from across every academic discipline.   

I see tremendous opportunities to build on the honors experience through the ideals of a liberal education, encouraging students to embrace intellectual risk-taking, broaden their horizons, think across disciplinary boundaries and create new knowledge. I want students to cultivate the intellectual courage to question assumptions, weigh evidence carefully, engage competing perspectives and evaluate ideas with rigor and respect. Most importantly, I hope our honors students graduate having grappled with one of the most fundamental questions shaping our collective future: What does it mean to be human, and how can I help others flourish through our shared humanity? 

Ultimately, I envision the Honors College as a universitywide hub for intellectual inquiry, creativity and engagement that not only supports scholarly achievement but also empowers students to become the innovators and changemakers who will shape the future of Chicago, the nation and the world.