Dr. Hillestad has been a member of the Costume Society of America since 1978 and has participated in many annual Symposia. Dr. Hillestad has multi-faceted abilities—he is a superb design educator as well as an active fiber and apparel artist—and he integrates the two roles of educator and artist expressively, superbly, and elegantly. Dr. Hillestad is professor emeritus at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln. In 1997, The Robert Hillestad Textiles Gallery on the Lincoln Campus of the University of Nebraska was named in his honor upon recommendation of the faculty in the Department of Textiles, Clothing and Design and the University of Nebraska Foundation. He founded the Friends of the Robert Hillestad Textiles Gallery and pursues an active relationship with this Gallery—continually working on fundraising and helping with numerous projects.