UIC College of Medicine dedicates G. Stephen and Kathleen Irwin Learning Center Auditorium

Dr. G. Stephen and Kathleen Irwin.

The University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine will dedicate the G. Stephen and Kathleen Irwin Learning Center Auditorium, named for an alumnus and his wife.

Dr. Irwin, an orthopaedic surgeon, and Mrs. Irwin, a registered nurse, have made numerous gifts and bequests to the College of Medicine over the years, directing their gifts in support of student scholarship, the department of orthopaedic surgery and endowed professorships.

“The training I received as a medical student and as an orthopaedic resident at the College of Medicine has had a lasting influence on my career for nearly 35 years,” Dr. Irwin said. “I always felt like the university was my partner in the practice of medicine. They made the education possible, in part due to the affordability at the time.”

“Steve and Kathy continue to show their support for the most promising and talented physicians of tomorrow,” said Dr. Dimitri Azar, dean of the University of Illinois College of Medicine. “We are pleased to announce the dedication of our second-floor auditorium in our updated learning center in honor of their generosity and commitment.”

The 200-seat auditorium will be dedicated as the G. Stephen and Kathleen Irwin Learning Center Auditorium on May 1. Completed in 2015, the Learning Center, located in the historic College of Medicine West Tower on the UIC campus, boasts three floors of updated classrooms and educational spaces.

“The only way the university can continue to offer a high-quality education, especially with a tightening state budget, is for alumni and community partners to step forward and bring money to the table in support of Illinois’ premier public research university and medical school,” said Dr. Irwin.

Prior to attending the College of Medicine, Dr. Irwin worked for Chevron as a chemical engineer for six years. He completed his medical degree in 1977 and began an orthopaedic surgery residency in 1982 – both with the University of Illinois College of Medicine. Upon completing this primary training, Dr. Irwin joined a practice in Bloomington, Illinois, where he has been ever since.

Dr. Irwin is a former partner of McLean County Orthopedics Ltd. He helped establish the Center of Outpatient Medicine, a freestanding multi-specialty surgical center started in 1989 in Bloomington that sees about 5,000 patients a year.

Originally from Chicago, Mrs. Irwin is a registered nurse formerly with McLean County Orthopaedics. In addition, both Dr. and Mrs. Irwin currently see patients at the Orthopaedic and Sports Enhancement Center in Bloomington.

Dr. Irwin currently serves on the board of directors of the University of Illinois Foundation and remains an advocate for philanthropy and volunteerism for the University and College of Medicine. He also serves as the College of Medicine’s representative to the UIC Chancellor’s Campaign Committee.