Please join us in congratulating Jon Rice, a long time member of our team, on his promotion to First U Building Manager!

(About Jon, in his words) I am a semi-retired instructor in American History at the college level and high school chemistry teacher. I have a Ph.D in History with focus on Indigenous People and African Americans. I have also spent several years, professionally as an historical actor and many years as a maintenance engineer.  

As a teacher I worked for the Illinois Department of Corrections and later for Chicago Public Schools.  As an instructor I taught history ate Roosevelt University in Schaumburg, IL, Aurora University, Northern Illinois University and the University of Massachusetts in Boston. 

I performed as an historical actor in Plymouth, MA as  a 17th century Pilgrim, Mariner and as a Wampanoag historical interpreter. I later began writing scripts and performing historical characters in Chicago area educational institutions. My interests lie in environmental issues in the Chicago area and in building rehabilitation. 

I am a native of Chicago though I lived for eleven years in Massachusetts and two years in San Diego.