CHICAGO — University of Illinois Chicago Chancellor Marie Lynn Miranda used the July 25 Board of Trustees meeting to summarize UIC’s community engagement, workforce initiatives and research investments, and to list recent grants and partnerships aimed at supporting Chicago neighborhoods.

Miranda said a system‑commissioned report estimates UIC contributes $10.6 billion in income to Illinois annually and noted a Carnegie Foundation designation identifying UIC as an “opportunity university” for providing broad access and improved post‑graduation earnings. She pointed to workforce programs such as Chicago Roadmap 2 and UIC’s partnerships with employers including ComEd, Morningstar and JPMorgan Chase that, she said, strengthen career pipelines.

Miranda highlighted health‑care initiatives at UI Health: a $33,000,000 state award for a Community Centered Comprehensive Care model (C6) on the Southwest Side and an $11,000,000 maternal‑health research center focused on pregnancy outcomes. She also cited more than $485,000,000 in research funding secured during the fiscal year and noted that UIC faculty received 15 National Science Foundation CAREER awards.

On technology and research collaboration, Miranda described a planned quantum research visioning event on campus in August 2025 and UIC’s leadership in the Co‑Design Center for Quantum Advantage, a U.S. Department of Energy center. She said UIC is leading the ReactWise consortium, a Department of Energy initiative with a $4.8 million allocation "aimed at ensuring that all groups participate in and benefit from the quantum revolution."

Why it matters: UIC’s stated expansion of community engagement and targeted research investments affect workforce development and health outcomes in Chicago neighborhoods and inform trustees’ oversight of system priorities and external partnerships.

What trustees recorded: Trustees heard the chancellor’s report and acknowledged UIC’s partnerships and grant awards; no board action was taken on the described projects at the meeting.