Alumni Hall of Fame
Julia J. Henderson
Julia J. Henderson received her A.B. from UIUC in 1936 and an M.A. in Political Science in 1937. She obtained her Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota in 1945 in Political Science. The Graduate School of Public Administration at Harvard awarded her a fellowship in 1944; she was the first woman ever admitted into its Public Administration program. From 1946 to 1971 she was a United Nations official and in 1971 began service as the secretary-general of the International Planned Parenthood Federation.
Beginning in 1978, Dr. Henderson served as a consultant to the UN Fund for Population Activities, and the International Planned Parenthood Federation. She retired in 1990 and continued to serve as an active member of the United Nations Association, the Southwest Florida Peace Education Coalition, and the Board of Population Action International in Washington.
In addition to having received honorary degrees from Smith College and Rider College, Dr. Henderson received the United Nations Population Award in 1991. She has also received an LAS Alumni Achievement Award from UIUC. Dr. Henderson has established endowments for graduate education in political science education and research both at the Champaign-Urbana and Springfield campuses.