Family History
Jean Sklansky Kaplan (1951- ), from Chicago, IL, attended UIUC from 1968-1972. She majored in English with a sociology minor in the LAS School and took courses in education to be a teacher, graduating with high honors. She was an Edmund J. James Scholar, a 1972 Bronze Tablet recipient, and was selected for several honors societies. Steven Jay Kaplan (1950- ), from Skokie, IL, attended UIUC from 1968-1972. Steve majored in Business Administration and graduated with high honors. Steve and Jean met at a picnic for the 4th Street Women’s Residence Halls and the Men’s Residence Halls on the first day of New Student Week in 1968. They married in 1972. After graduation, Steve went to Northwestern School of Law (1972-75) and Jean taught English at Lamont High School. After law school graduation in 1975, Steve worked in investment real estate in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Jean went to work for Coe College and Cornell College in a joint position in the Career Development Offices. In 1979, Steve started a real estate investment company with a colleague in Dallas, TX. Jean was a stay-at-home mom and active volunteer from 1979 - 2002 while raising their 3 children. Jean served on multiple nonprofit boards’ chairing committees and in leadership capacities. When their youngest went to college, Jean then worked for Dallas Community College until retirement. Steve has been involved with commercial real estate throughout his legal career, including serving as President and Chief Executive Officer of Landauer Associates, Inc., an international real estate advisory and consulting firm, from 1992 - 1999. In 2000, Steve formed a boutique legal practice providing transactional legal services and advice to commercial real estate owners and developers. Steve served on multiple nonprofit boards’ chairing committees and in leadership roles. Jean and Steve had an outstanding experience at UIUC and feel very committed to the university and especially to supporting the English department. Dr. Emily Watts in the English department was a particularly favorite professor and the Kaplans and Dr. Watts exchanged yearly holiday letters until her passing. In discussion with Dr. Watts in the 1980s, they donated money in 1985 and 1986 to form the Kaplan Poetry Series, which brought authors to the UIUC campus, including Raymond Carver and Tess Gallagher. Starting in 2021, in association with the University of Illinois Creative Writing Program, they formed the Kaplan Family Writer-in-Residence program, which has brought authors to the campus each year.
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