Thomas Riley was born in Portland, Maine and raised in the Boston, Massachusetts area. He received his Bachelor's in English Literature from Boston College in 1965. In 1970 he received his Master's in Anthropology from the University of Hawaii and his Ph.D. in Anthropology in 1973, also from the University of Hawaii.
He joined the faculty of the University of Illinois, Champaign, in 1974 in the Anthropology Department. During his twenty-two years at Illinois he served as Coordinator of Undergraduate Projects, Anthropology Department (1980-1982); Associate Dean, Graduate College (1982-1986); and Head of the Anthropology Department (1986-1993). In addition, he was Chair of the University Senate Council (1995-1996).
He became the Dean of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences in 1996, as well as holding a Professorship in Anthropology. |
