NIU-COL Student Appointed to Illinois Senate

Toi Hutchinson, a student at the Northern Illinois University College of Law, was unanimously appointed by Illinois Democratic Party officials to serve as the Illinois State Senator of the 40th Congressional District. The Illinois State Senate seat was vacated by Debbie Halvorson after she successfully ran for the United States Congress.

Hutchinson, of Olympia Fields, Ill., was previously Halvorson’s chief of staff and the Olympia Fields village clerk. Hutchinson also worked for United Way as its executive director in South Cook County and was soon promoted to chief professional officer in its Southwest Suburban office. At that time, she was the youngest chief professional officer and the only African-American director in the State of Illinois. Most recently, Hutchinson was a lobbyist in Springfield for the Chicago law firm of Vincent R. Williams & Associates, P.C.

Hutchinson received her B.A. from the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign. She also is a graduate of the Harvard University Kennedy School of Government’s Executive Management Program. Hutchinson will be sworn into the Illinois State Senate on January 14, 2009 in Springfield.