When Allison Kokal, a junior, first applied to the College of ACES at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, she was searching for what she thought would be her second-choice major. That was until she saw Plant Biotechnology on the list of options. It was then that Kokal knew she had found her true calling.

“After visiting campus for the first time, I had the opportunity to meet faculty as well as the advisor for my major, and I just fell in love with everything about ACES,” Kokal said. “I got to talk to the students that make up the department, and knew Plant Biotechnology had officially become my first-choice path of study.”

For Kokal, the College of ACES faculty and community have helped make the University of Illinois home to her over the last three years. 

“Everyone here has been amazing and so nice. If anyone’s ever struggling in a class, the professors are accommodating and always go above and beyond to help students. As a student, one of the most impactful experiences has been the ability to get involved with research alongside a faculty mentor in my department. I love it!” Kokal said.

Since the summer of 2023, Kokal has been working in Assistant Professor Sarah Hind’s lab, where Hind studies how plant immune systems detect bacteria that cause disease in vegetable crops. As a lab assistant, Kokal focuses on isolating and characterizing pumpkin bacterial pathogens.

“I specifically study bacterial diseases in pumpkins that are causing wilt. During the summer, I would collect cucumber beetles that we would later study in the lab for bacteria colonies. If we got a positive result from that first step, then we would start looking for what particular strains we might have in the area,” Kokal said.

Now, as she searches for her dream career and plans the next steps in her growing academic journey, she has found that her time at ACES has also helped to shape her future.

“Being part of a research project as an undergraduate student has reinforced just how much I want to continue doing lab work and research now and after graduation. That has led to me working towards getting into a Ph.D program,” Kokal said. “Being able to talk to Professor Hind about those potential graduate schools and research programs has not only been helpful, it’s been exciting too!”

Eventually, Kokal hopes to become more involved with academia as a future professor who runs their own research lab. But while she’s still here, Kokal hopes to pass on some advice she has for students who are applying to or joining the ACES family this year.

“ACES has been so amazing for students by providing scholarships, supplying internships, and preparing everyone for the future by helping them discover what it is they love to do,” Kokal said. “If you’re a student, don’t be afraid to try new things or reach out to professors about experiences that sound interesting to you. The world is truly at your fingertips here at ACES!"