Image
Hometown: Grayslake, IL
Year/Graduation: Sophomore, Spring 2027
Concentration: Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology
Why Illinois? – What factors helped contribute to your decision to attend the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign?
I chose to come to Illinois because it was one of the only schools on my list where I could see myself making genuine personal connections with others. Illinois also has some of the best campus resources and support services, which made me feel more at ease choosing to come here. Additionally, I knew I wanted to attend a larger school with a diverse student body, a wide array of majors/minors, and plenty of extracurricular activities to choose from. I really appreciated that the campus feels big enough to branch out in, but students can still find a sense of community and build relationships with others.
Why NRES? – Specifically, why did you choose to study Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences?
As someone who really enjoys the outdoors, I like learning about the interconnectedness of the environment, and I find it interesting to study Earth systems. I chose NRES because I've always connected with my science courses, and NRES as a field involves lots of applied scientific study and hands-on work.
I also love that the NRES program at Illinois offers concentrations that help to emphasize specific fields of interest within the major. I knew going into college that I wanted to study an environmental science-related field, and choosing a concentration helped me align my general career aspirations within NRES with more focused coursework.