2026 Convocation Keynote Speaker: Teresa Ramos
by Orion Buckingham / Apr 29, 2026
Ramos, the first-ever Secretary for the newly-created Illinois Department of Early Childhood and a three-time Illinois graduate, will deliver the keynote address at the Convocation Ceremony on May 17.
The Dean’s Office is pleased to announce this year’s Convocation Ceremony keynote speaker, Illinois alumna and Secretary of the Illinois Department of Early Childhood Teresa Ramos.
“When I left Illinois, I wanted to change the world. I knew I wanted to shape the direction of this institution one day—make it a more accessible, equitable place,” says Ramos.
“On a deeply personal level, being a keynote means I’ve done something right—that all this education has paid off! This also adds more meaning to how happy and proud my mom is of me. Thanks to her efforts, I have acted on much of what I learned at Illinois to contribute something to the world worth learning about," says Ramos. "It is an honor to do this work and to be asked to share some reflections with the graduating class of 2026.”
Ramos, a three-time Illinois graduate, has served in a variety of roles to support and uplift education throughout Illinois. She was named by Illinois Governor JB Pritzker as the inaugural Secretary of the Illinois Department of Early Childhood, which will officially begin administering programs in July 2026. She also served as the VP of Public Policy, Research, and Advocacy at Illinois Action for Children and Director of Community Engagement for Advance Illinois.
Ramos is a mother, sister, and tía. She is proud to be a Polish-Mexican Latina who grew up in the Logan Square neighborhood of Chicago, attended Chicago Public Schools (CPS), and now lives in the Hermosa neighborhood with her family, a couple of blocks from her sister, a lifelong CPS educator.
In 2012, she completed her Ph.D. in Anthropology with a minor in Latina/Latino studies at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and remains a life-long learner through reading, exchanging insight from her peers, and through the eyes of her 6-year-old.
Ramos will address the College's Convocation Ceremony on Sunday, May 17, at 9:00 a.m. in Gym 1 of the Activities and Recreation Center. Tickets are not required for this event.