Honorary Degree to Lisa Madigan

Citation read by Richard A. Stout, Professor of Economics, Knox College

President Amott, I am honored to present The Honorable Lisa Madigan, Illinois Attorney General, for the degree of Doctor of Laws.

During her three terms in office, The Honorable Lisa Madigan has worked tirelessly to protect the people and communities of Illinois. She was elected as the first woman to serve as the Illinois Attorney General in 2002. Upon her election to a third term as Illinois Attorney General in 2010, she became the senior-most female attorney general in the country. Her firm belief that one person can make a difference is what led her into a career in public service and drives her work as the state's chief legal officer.

Attorney General Madigan attended The Latin School of Chicago for her secondary education and received her bachelor's degree from Georgetown University in 1988. She received her Juris Doctor from Loyola University Chicago School of Law. Prior to becoming an attorney, she was a teacher and community advocate, developing after-school programs to help keep kids away from drugs and gangs, and also volunteered as a high school teacher in South Africa during Apartheid. Before her election to statewide office, she served in the Illinois Senate and worked as a litigator for a Chicago law firm.

Under her leadership, the Attorney General's office has established a national reputation for protecting the people of Illinois. Attorney General Madigan's Consumer Protection Division is known for aggressively safeguarding consumers from financial fraud and unsafe products, and the Attorney General has worked to protect children and women from the dangers of sexual predators and safeguard seniors in nursing homes. She also has been widely praised for implementing a series of proactive law enforcement strategies to combat the spread of methamphetamine and synthetic drugs throughout the state. Additionally, Attorney General Madigan has established herself as a leader in the public's fight for open and accessible government, receiving the "Sunshine Award" from the Society of Professional Journalists for her important contributions to open government.

Nationally respected for her leadership, integrity, and policy initiatives, Attorney General Madigan is a recipient of the John F. Kennedy New Frontier Award, an honor presented annually to an American elected official whose contributions in office demonstrate the impact and value of public service in the spirit of President Kennedy.

President Amott, in honor of her dedicated service to the citizens of Illinois and the betterment of our state, I present The Honorable Lisa Madigan for the degree of Doctor of Laws.