CU Schools Foundation announces Class of '26 honorees.

The CU Schools Foundation unveiled its Class of 2026 honorees on News-Gazette Radio, and the Distinguished Alumni and community awards will be presented at a reception April 10 at the I Hotel.

The CU Schools Foundation has named the headliners of its Class of 2026 awards. Executive Director Michelle Gonzales unveiled the honorees on the 20th episode of News‑Gazette Radio. The list includes Distinguished Alumni, a Local Hero, and a local business recognized for community support. A reception to present the awards is scheduled for April 10 at the I Hotel. Highlights: - The honorees were unveiled on the 20th episode of News‑Gazette Radio by Executive Director Michelle Gonzales. - Distinguished Alumni named include Ayala Donchin (Urbana '87), Jonathan Butler‑Duplessis (Central '04) and Andy Whitford (Centennial '96). - Tracy Parsons (Urbana '80) is recognized as a Local Hero for community leadership and service. - GRIT Automation donated and installed a $41,000 workshop safety and automation system for Central's wood and automotive shops and contributed more than 100 hours of personal labor. - The honorees' profiles highlighted local memories, mentors and early community arts or service programs cited during the radio segment. Summary: The announcement highlights alumni and local business contributions across arts, education, public service and industry. The awards will be formally presented at the reception on April 10 at the I Hotel; further event details were not included in the reporting.