Eureka College to Celebrate Founders’ Day with Convocation and Alumni Address
EUREKA, IL. - Eureka College will celebrate its annual Founders’ Convocation on Thursday, February 5, at 12:15 p.m. in Becker Auditorium, commemorating the founding of the College and honoring its enduring mission and community.
The Founders’ Day address will be delivered by Matthew Cahill, J.D., a member of the Eureka College Class of 2009. While a student at Eureka College, Cahill served as a Reagan Fellow and President of the Student Senate, demonstrating early leadership and dedication to public service.
Cahill was recently appointed Chief Counsel for the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) in Washington, D.C., effective November 9, 2025. In this role, he provides legal leadership supporting the agency’s mission to improve communities through safe, efficient, and accessible public transportation.
Prior to his appointment, Cahill served as a Senior Associate General Counsel in the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Office of General Counsel. Before entering federal service, he worked in private practice advising clients on surface transportation and energy issues. His professional experience spans the public transportation sector, including urban and rural bus operations as well as light and heavy rail systems. A past APTA Foundation scholarship recipient, Cahill has remained active in transportation professional organizations throughout the Capital Region. Notably, his career in transportation began as an FTA summer intern during his undergraduate years.
Cahill earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Eureka College and later completed both a Juris Doctor and Master of Business Administration at Northwestern University.
Reflecting on his appointment, Cahill shared, “I use transit every day to get to work and see firsthand the benefits effective transit provides to our communities. I am honored by the opportunity to work alongside FTA’s dedicated staff and our industry partners to advance our collective mission to make transit safer, convenient, efficient, and more accessible to all.”
Cahill resides in Dickerson, Maryland, with his wife and infant daughter, where he enjoys caring for and improving their five-acre homestead in Montgomery County’s Agricultural Reserve.
Following the convocation, attendees are invited to join in celebrating the College’s birthday with cake and fellowship.
The Founders’ Day Convocation is free and open to the public, and all are cordially invited to attend.
Photo of Guest Speaker Matthew Cahill, J.D. '09.
Chief Counsel for the Federal Transit Administration
About Eureka College
Located on nearly 70 wooded acres in Eureka, Illinois, and chartered in 1855, Eureka College cultivates excellence in learning, service, and leadership while providing students uniquely personalized educational opportunities. Eureka College holds the unique distinction of being the first college in Illinois—and among the first in the nation—to admit men and women on an equal basis. The College, originally founded by abolitionist members of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), is the smallest of only 24 colleges and universities to ever award a bachelor’s degree to a future President of the United States.
