Dr. Desiree Y. McMillion is a graduate of the College of Education in Education Policy, Organization and Leadership at the University of Illinois.  Currently, she serves in an administrator role in the Department of African American Studies at the University of Illinois. She assists the head of African American Studies, provides co-advising across campus disciplines, assist with the development of curriculum in the unit and serves as instructor of various African American Studies courses and other campus units. 

Her primary research examines the nature and relationship of historic and contemporary educational experiences of Blacks in higher education and the study and investigation of the Black Experience.  She also has interest in Black Families in Film, using classic and contemporary films that depict diverse family structures, social classes, and experiences within the Black family unit.  With this experience, Dr. McMillion is committed to offering various forms of learning practices for students as we link scientific data to lived experience.  She encourages students to reflect as they discover the pedagogical practices that identify the complexity and multiplicity for the Black experience through various mediums (books, community efforts, museums, art, dance, film, stage performance, course materials, etc.)

She is a member of various committees on campus and in the community where she is extremely active.