Since at least 1901, Argentine students have been attending the University of Illinois. Early Argentine Illini have included actors, agriculturalists, architects, business administrators, civil engineers, dentists, electrical engineers, farmers, music composers, music performers, student leaders, surgeons, and transfer students too.

Read on to learn about early Argentine Illini!

Illinois – Argentina Connections

A review of the Board of Trustees proceedings (Record Series 1/1/802) yields multiple instances of University administrators and faculty members traveling to or working with peers in Argentina. For instance, as early as 1908, Dean Herbert W. Mumford went to Argentina to study the cattle industry. [1] Then just two years later, in 1910, Dean David Kinley was appointed by U.S. President Taft to join a commission at the 1910 Pan-American Congress in Buenos Aires. While there, Dean Kinley visited Chile and he met with recent Argentine Illini graduate Mr. Oscar Sumay (Class of 1909) of the Argentine Railway Commission. Concurrently, from 1908 until 1920, former Opthalmology Instructor Albert B. Hale (Record Series 52/28/20) was a compiler at the Pan-American Union.

The 1940s may have been the beginning of a long period of increased scholarly connections. In 1945, Sergio Bagú accepted a position as a visiting professor. Mr. Bagú taught two courses, “The Origins of Spanish American Culture” and “Great Spanish American Authors of the Ninteenth and Twentieth Centuries”. Within a month of his arrival, the Spanish Club had already organized a welcome reception for the prolific author. Beyond class, Mr. Bagu gave campus talks, including one on post war problems in Pan America, the amiable character of the Argentine nation, and student relations between the United States and South America.

In February 1948, University President George D. Stoddard was invited to Argentina for two weeks as a personal guest of President Peron. Mr. Stoddard declined. Later that same year, in November and December 1948, College of Dentistry Professor and Head of the Department of Crowns and Fixed Partial Dentures Dr. Stanley D. Tylman was invited to give a series of clinics and conferences for the dental faculties of the Universities of Buenos Aires and Cordoba. [2] During the summer of 1958, Assistant Professor of Library Science and Librarian in the Undergraduate Library Mr. William V. Jackson took a leave of absence to lecture at the University of Cordoba. [3] For academic year 1960-61, McKinley Professor of Economic Public Utilities Dr. D. Philip Locklin (Record Series 9/5/30) took a leave of absence to accept an appointment on a mission to Argentina to study the transportation needs of that country and make suitable recommendations to its Government. [4] In 1961, Physics Professor Dr. John C. Wheatley served as a guest professor at the Institute of Physics at San Carlos de Bariloche, by giving a course of lectures on low temperature physics and directing low temperature research program at that Institute. [5] Later, in 1972, English Professor Dr. Carol Kyle (Record Series 15/7/46) conducted research in Buenos Aires on a Fulbright grant.

Students

During the early twentieth century, many Argentine students came to the University of Illinois to study agriculture, business, engineering, and science. Although many students studied for one to two years, a few students completed bachelor’s programs too.

Early students left few records. From early issues of the Alumni Directory, we know that at least four Argentine Illini came to campus between 1900 and 1903. [6] In 1901, Mr. Julio Reyes, (1901-02), Mr. Reuben Moreno, (Agriculture 1901-03), and Mr. Francisco Pastor Doellinger, (Agriculture 1901-03), arrived. In the Daily Illini, we can find one account of Mr. Moreno, which describes his participation in a friendly “rush” game between freshmen and sophomores. The following year, Mr. Pedro Luis Rivara, (1902-03), studied for one academic year too.

Over the next five years, another group of at least six men arrived Argentina, including Mr. Peter L. Coronel, (Electrical Engineering, 1906-07), Mr. Waldemar R. Diaz, (1906-07), Mr. William A. Benitz, (Agriculture, 1907-1909), Mr. Ricardo Saravia, (Agriculture 1908-09), and Mr. John P. Thome, (B.S. Agriculture, 1912)–suggesting that Mr. Thome may be the first Argentine Illini to graduate with a Bachelor’s degree. [7] From student publications like the Illio and the Daily Illini, we see all of these men listed as members of the multicultural student organization Cosmopolitan Club (Record Series 41/64/8) and the Centro Literario Espanol.

Mr. Diaz was involved in multiple Spanish language events on campus. In Cosmo Club, Mr. Diaz helped organized the first Spanish language student performance on campus (November 1907). In Centro Literario Espanol, he was the first club treasurer (1907), he gave a talk titled “Crisis of 1820 in the Argentine Republic” (January 1908), he was the second club president (1908), and he played the title character in the club performance of “Largueta” (May 1908).

Mr. Benitz was born to an American family managing an estancia in Argentina. [8] Mr. Benitz attended a Junior Prom (December 1907), gave a Centro Literario Espanol talk on “College Life in Scotland” (January 1908), attend a national Phi Theta Delta meeting in Pittsburgh (November 1908), before returning to Argentina (December 1908). Mr. Benitz did not graduate, but he returned to campus in 1935 with his family to enroll his son Frank in Agriculture “to continue the traditions of the family” the Daily Illini reported.

Mr. Oscar Jose Sumay, (B.S. Electrical Engineering, 1909), of Chascomús, was an engineer and a student leader. [9] He was a founding member of the Centro Literario Espanol and its first vice president too. At one club event, Mr. Sumay and other students debated the influence of the U.S. Monroe Doctrine in Latin America (December 1907), he became club sergeant-at-arms during his junior year (1908), and he became club president during his senior year (1909). After graduation, Mr. Sumay returned to Argentina to work for the Argentine Railway Company. In 1911, Mr. Sumay returned for his younger brother Felix’s graduation and he married Iva M. Miller, of Champaign, and they returned to Argentina together where they raised a family.

Mr. Felix Jose Sumay, (B.S. Civil Engineering, 1910), of Chascomús was an engineer and student leader too. [10] In Centro Literaro Espanol, Mr. Sumay was a club secretary (1908), he played the nice in “Largueta” (1908), he played Dona Leonor de Sese in Antonio Garcia Gutierrez‘s “El Truvador” (1909), and he played Lelis in “La Muela Del Juicio” (1910).

Mr. Cirilo J. Mullen, (A.B. Business, 1912), of Buenos Aires, was a student leader. [11] He was member of the multicultural student organization Cosmopolitan Club (Record Series 41/64/8), an actor in Centro Literario Espanol, and a one-term club president of Spanish Society (1909). As a member of the Centro Literario Espanol, he played the “Indalecio”  in “Largueta” (May 1908) and the role of “Procopio Canchalagua” in “Las Solteronas” (April 1910) too. Mr. Mullen was also a DI reader and actively involved in correcting local misunderstandings of South America. In 1911, on the last page of the Sunday edition of the Daily Illini described economic development in South America with an introduction which listed a generally negative assessment of the region, before describing opportunities for economic development. On the following Tuesday, Mr. Mullen wrote a letter to the editor, criticizing the lack of contextualizing information and the DI agreed. [12] Mr. Mullen returned to Argentina after graduation.

Four more Argentine Illini arrived in 1911. Mr. Carlos Sarmiento Thomson, (Electrical Engineering, 1911-13), Mr. Frank Allyn Benitz, (Agriculture, 1911-1913), Mr. Firmo Bercetche Jr., (Engineering, 1911-12), and Mr. Diego Luis Molinari, (Electrical Engineering, 1911-12).  [13]

Mr. Benitz was the younger brother of William Benitz. [13] This Mr. Benitz was a member of Phi Delta Theta and he arranged a motorcycle trip with L. A. Kimball (1914). The Daily Illini reported that from June through September, the motorcycle trip began with a road trip from Chicago to Boston, a voyage to Ireland, then more riding through Scotland, Germany, Holland, Belgium, France, and Switzerland, with a possible tour of Italy as well. Upon returning to campus in the fall, Mr. Benitz pledged to the Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity. Mr. Benitz’s studies were interrupted by World War I service where he was a lieutenant in the Royal Air Force but he was killed in action in 1919.

Mr. Firmo Bercetche Jr. began his studies at Illinois but completed his degree at the University of Arizona, before working for the Union Oil Company in Los Angeles, before returning to Argentina. [15]

Mr. Diego Luis Molinari later became a historian, a lawyer, and a politician. In 1948, as an Argentine delegate visiting the United States, Mr. Molinari met with University President George Stoddard to offer a two week invitation as a personal guest of the Argentine President. During their conversation, Mr. Stoddard told the Daily Illini, he invited Mr. Molinari to visit campus which Mr. Molinari expressed interest in doing so.

Mr. Oscar Achinelly may have been the first Argentine Illini to graduate from the College of Dentistry.

At least as early as 1943, the first Argentine Illini musician was Mrs. Nelly A. Moretto (B.F.A. Music, 1944). As a Music student, Mrs. Moretto had many recitals on- and off- campus, including “Dos Tristes, 4 and 5” by Aguirre and “Malambo” by Ginastera (October 1943), an untitled performance (February 1944), a Champaign U.S.O. Pan-American Day concert (April 1944), a Spanish Club meeting (May 1944), “Sonata Opus 2, Number 3” by Beethoven, “Etude Number 11” by Chopin, “Bailecito” by Buchardo”, and “Islamey by Balakirew (May 1944), “Seven Short Pieces” by Hubert Kessler (August 1944), accompanying music for a the 33rd October 10 celebration by Chinese Illini (October 1944), a Music Club Christmas concert (December 1944), and a YMCA installation dinner (May 1945).

In addition to performances, Mrs. Moretto had at least two public opportunities to present Argentine cultures and history to the campus, including providing background music while her husband and other Argentine students gave talks on Argentina (July 1944) and a panel talk on Christmas in Argentina (December 1944).

Of course, while Mrs. Moretto was studying here, her husband Mr. Oreste Moretto (M.S. Civil Engineering, 1944; PhD Civil Engineering, 1946) was completing his own studies too. After graduation, Dr. Moretto lead a distinguished career in civil engineering. In addition to leading projects concerning the Paraná River, the Mendoza river, and the Rio Grande, Dr. Moretto later became a Universidad Nacional de La Plata faculty member, a president of the Academia Nacional de Ciencias Exactas, Fisicas y Naturales, vice president of the Secretaría Internacional de Mecánica de Suelos, and president of the Federación Latinoamericana de Academia de Ciencias. [16]

For over one hundred and ten years, connections between the University of Illinois and Argentina have grown from at least two different sources. First, there were many faculty research projects which brought scholars across borders. Second, many generations of Argentines have chosen to continue their studies at the University of Illinois too. The future chapters of the Argentinian Illini story looks bright.

Are you an Argentine Illini? Do you know someone who is? We’d like to hear from you! Please send us a message or leave a comment below. We want to include you and your story, as we celebrate the first 150 years of the University of Illinois.

Happy First 150 everyone!

References

[1] Meeting of the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois, January 25, 1908, page 421, Record Series 1/1/802.

[2] Meeting of the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois, October 21, 1948, page 152, Record Series 1/1/802.

[3] Meeting of the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois, July 29, 1958, page 54, Record Series 1/1/802.

[4] Meeting of the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois, September 21, 1960, 159, Record Series 1/1/802.

[5] Meeting of the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois, March 14, 1961, page 414, Record Series 1/1/802.

[6] Julio Reyes, University of Illinois Directory, edited by Vergil V. Phelps, D. B., PhD, 1916, page 549; Reuben Moreno, page 467; Francisco Pastor Doellinger, page 173; Pedro Luis Rivara, page 556.

[7] Peter Larate Coronel, University of Illinois Directory, edited by Vergil V. Phelps, D. B., PhD, 1916, page 139; Waldemar Ramon Diaz, page 168; William Agar Benitz, page 47; Ricardo Saravia, page 577; John Paul Thome, page 660.

[8] The Benitz family website continues a wealth of information about the family, including their Argentine connections. Please see: “William Agar Benitz“, The Benitz Bull.

[9] Oscar Jose Sumay, University of Illinois Directory, Edited by Vergil V. Phelps, D. B., PhD, 1916, page 646.

[10] Felix Jose Sumay, (Civil Engineering, B.S., 1907-1910), page 646.

[11] Cirilo Joseph Mullen, (LA Com A.B., 1906-11), page 475.

[12] The article in question had run in the Daily Illini at least twice, including February 8, 1910 and March 12, 1911. Researchers interested in South America should read the entire supplement, to learn more about P. A. Conrad and other Illinois – South America connections.

[13] Carlos Sarmiento Thomson, University of Illinois Directory, Edited by Vergil V. Phelps, D. B., PhD, 1916, page 663; Frank Allyn Benitz, page 47; Firmo Bercetche Jr, page 50; Diego Luis Molinari, page 462-463.

[14] The Benitz family website continues a wealth of information about the family, including their Argentine connections. Please see: “Frank Allyn Benitz“, The Benitz Bull.

[15] University of Arizona Record, Annual Catalogue 1917-1918, Volume XI, Number 4, March 1918, page 199; The Oil Age, Volume XVIII, Number 2, February 1922, page 13.

[16] “Oreste Moretto“, (Spanish), Fundacion Konex; “Presidente: Ing. Oreste Moretto“, (Spanish), ANCEFN.org.ar.