Every summer, alumni of the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES) at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign are invited back to campus with their kids or grandkids for ACES Family Academies. The two-day event introduces kids ages 8–13 to ACES majors, programs, and research through fun interactive classes and gives them a taste of campus life with meals in dining halls and a night in the dorms. Although college is years away for the kids who attend, the event makes an indelible impression — inspiring, for some, an eventual return to ACES. 

Sara Poletti is one previous attendee who discovered her love for ACES during her time at ACES Family Academies as a kid. Poletti, who is originally from Jerseyville, Illinois, is currently a junior majoring in agricultural and consumer economics with a concentration in agribusiness, markets and management. Her parents, both ACES alumni who majored in engineering technology and management for agricultural systems, signed the family up for the program in 2015.

“The part I recall best is seeing a college campus in-person for the first time and getting to experience dorm life,” Poletti said. “I remember being able to pick the classes we took and enjoyed experiencing college life as a ‘pretend student’ at the university my parents went to.”

The experience inspired Poletti to keep exploring the educational and career options in ACES, but this time as a university student. 

“It was interesting to compare my memories of campus during ACES Family Academies to my time now at ACES. As a kid, I really enjoyed getting oriented with the buildings and figuring out which were used for what. Now, it all feels so familiar, despite the fact that the campus is so big. That’s thanks to getting to know ACES before enrolling,” Poletti said.

Even in the context of a large campus, Poletti has come to love how the College of ACES has given her a sense of belonging and community.

“My favorite part about ACES is how small it makes the campus feel for me. After a while, ACES really started to feel like family,” Poletti said. “For students who are considering applying to ACES, I would tell them to come visit and see just how much of a family we are. As someone from a small town, I was nervous to go to a big school. However, after visiting, I realized that I could make my world here as small or as big as I wanted.”

During her time at ACES, Poletti has found even more community in the extracurriculars she is involved with, such as ACE Ambassadors and the Sigma Alpha Professional Agricultural Sorority, where she serves as the ACES Council and as a Panhellenic Council Representative who helps oversee the functions of various on-campus sororities. She is also a member of the Collegiate Farm Bureau and Student Leadership Council.

“I have been able to make various connections with students and faculty because of the fact that I attended Family Academies, and it has proven to be a great way to start forming relationships before you even start thinking about college,” Poletti said.

ACES Family Academies introduces dozens of kids to opportunities in ACES each year. With course topics that explore the science behind food, health, smart agriculture, the environment, and much more, future students like Poletti soon learn there’s no limit to what they can accomplish at ACES.

To learn more about ACES Family Academies and undergraduate programs, visit the ACES Family Academies webpage and our Program Explorer. Contact the ACES Office of Advancement at 217-333-9355 or acesadvancement@illinois.edu if you would like to contribute to the ACES Family Academies program.