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Hometown: Granite City, IL
Year/Graduation: Sophomore, May 2027
Concentration: Ecosystem Stewardship and Restoration Ecology
Why Illinois? – What factors helped contribute to your decision to attend the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign?
After touring several colleges my junior year of high school, I realized that I wanted a public school with a large, walkable campus. I wanted a school with prestigious academics, but one with plenty of opportunities to have fun outside of class. Being from the St. Louis area, I wanted to be far enough away from home to be independent but close enough that I could come home on long weekends. Illinois checked all of these boxes for me. It was an easy decision for me to accept my offer after being admitted!
I’ve LOVED my time so far at Illinois! There are so many ways to be involved on campus, from being a tour guide to joining a living-learning community to rushing a STEM sorority (all things I’ve done!). Being at this school has helped me break out of my shell and achieve things I never thought I was capable of.
Why NRES? – Specifically, why did you choose to study Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences?
Science has always been my favorite subject, and after taking an environmental science elective in high school I decided to pursue environmental science as my major.
What makes NRES different from other earth science related majors is how hands-on and fun the classes and events are. For my Introduction to NRES class, our professor (Dr. Angela Kent) gave us a tour of the Morrow Plots, which is the oldest experimental crop field in the country. At the admitted students event, a local animal rescue organization brought an opossum named Petunia for everyone to meet.
My favorite event was NRES Field Day, where the new students get to try out field research techniques with the professors at the Arboretum.
The NRES department is very close-knit and friendly. Even as a freshman, you have the opportunity to get to know the professors and graduate students on a personal level, which can open the doors for research opportunities and internships. I love the NRES students, faculty, and staff!