This year, SIB welcomed alumnus Eric Giesing back to campus as the keynote speaker for the 2025 SIB Convocation ceremony. For Eric, it was more than a speech—it was a homecoming nearly two decades in the making. Eric graduated from the University of Illinois with a B.S. in Integrative Biology in 2008 followed by a M.S. in 2010 under Dr. Alison Bell, where he studied the effects of maternal predator exposure on offspring behavior in three-spined sticklebacks.
"Coming back to the University of Illinois to deliver the commencement keynote was an experience I’ll never forget," Eric shared. "It was emotional, humbling, and deeply meaningful on so many levels."
His return to campus brought with it a wave of memories: late nights in the lab, long walks across the quad, friendships that shaped him, and professors who challenged him to think differently. While Eric started his career as a wildlife biologist and educator, he now finds himself as Chief Executive Officer of Savillex, a conglomerate of three private equity-backed life science companies where he holds several board positions. Now as a seasoned professional, Eric stood on the same stage he once imagined himself on as a student, addressing a new generation of graduates ready to carve their own paths.
Eric reflected on the powerful experience of addressing the room, with many of his former professors who had once mentored and encouraged him now sitting in the audience. "To stand before students ready to take on the world, with my mentors sitting in the front row, was a true full-circle moment. It reminded me of how much this University has given me and how much I want to continue giving back."
One of those mentors, Dr. Carol Augspurger, had a particularly lasting impact. Nearly 20 years after he took her IB 203 Ecology course, she was once again there in a moment that mattered, sitting beside his family in the front row as he delivered the keynote.
The weekend was also filled with personal significance. Eric and his wife, who received her B.S. in Psychology from the University of Illinois, were able to bring their daughters back to see the places that shaped their story. This included their old labs, favorite campus spots, and the location where Eric proposed. Sharing those memories with their children was, in Eric’s words, "incredibly special."
His parents were also there for the occasion. "Knowing the sacrifices they made to help me get to college and seeing the raw emotion and pride on their faces as they sat front and center, it is something I will never forget."
Looking back on the experience, Eric offered a sincere message to fellow alumni. "I’m filled with deep gratitude for the School of Integrative Biology—for the education, the friendships, and the foundation it provided not only for me, but for so many alumni over the years. Returning to campus and feeling the energy of the next generation of students rekindled my connection to the program and reminded me just how important it is to stay engaged, give back, and remain connected."
"Our journeys with SIB don’t end at graduation; they continue to grow through the work we do, the communities we impact, and the values we carry forward. If I’m honest, I wish I hadn’t waited 15 years to reconnect. So, to my fellow alumni: don’t wait for the ‘right’ moment to get involved. Start now. Your presence matters more than you think."