The University College Day (UCD) committee is excited to welcome Shermann “Dilla” Thomas to campus as the UCD keynote speaker. The keynote will be held from 10:45 a.m. to noon in Martin Hall. RSVPs are not required, and entrance is free and open to all Texas Wesleyan students, faculty and staff.

Chicago historian Shermann Thomas, affectionately known as Dilla, is a fascinating blend of a modern historian, cultural worker and content creator. Dilla is passionate about and well-versed in Chicago's history, architecture and overall culture. He brings the city to life through captivating storytelling and insider knowledge. Featured in Chicago Emmy award-winning programming, this self-taught historian was awarded the City of Chicago's Tourism Ambassador of the Year by Choose Chicago. Public Narrative has named Dilla the 2022 Studs Terkel Uplifting Voice recipient. The Chicago Public Library has awarded Dilla the prestigious 21st Century Award for his recent achievements in promoting Chicago to the world.

Through his social media account, Dilla has made over 400 videos highlighting the stories of Chicago, with more than 20 million views. He has amassed a following of over 300,000 followers across all platforms and has been featured in all manner of Chicago media. He has also appeared nationally on The Today Show and The Kelly Clarkson Show and has been written about in the Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, and several international publications. Dilla has presented Chicago history lessons and lectures to institutions such as the University of Chicago, LaSalle University (PA), Northwestern University, Rosevelt University, and several Chicago Community Colleges network partners. Dilla has also given lessons and history tours to several Fortune 500 companies and is a featured partner to all the professional sports teams in Chicago. Dilla is a proud lifelong resident of Chicago's South Side. He lives by the saying that "everything dope about America comes from Chicago."