Three ACES students selected for 2025 Homecoming Court
Three students from the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences were selected for the 2025 Homecoming Court at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
The court is composed of 20 student leaders in senior standing who are selected based on their academic achievements, campus leadership, and community involvement. Those selected to serve on the court are viewed as role models for their peers and outstanding representatives of the University of Illinois student body.
The College of ACES students represented on the Homecoming Court include Nya Williamson from the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Yanaba Schroeder from the Department of Human Development and Family Studies, and Sam Christoff from the Department of Animal Sciences.
Nya Williamson, Chicago, is pursuing a degree in nutrition and health in the College of ACES, minoring in Spanish and chemistry. Dedicated to philanthropy, her heart for service and community engagement shines through as a lead Student Health Advocate at McKinley Health Center, an ambassador for the Jeffries’ Center, and performances with the UI Black Chorus. While studying abroad in Granada, Spain, she volunteered at a senior care facility. Nya aspires to be a prosthodontist and serve as an instrument for God’s grace, using her gifts to uplift others through faith and compassion. She celebrates this opportunity with gratitude.
Yanaba Schroeder, Kayenta, AZ, is an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, majoring in human development and family studies with a minor in American Indian studies. She served two years as a Native American House Ambassador and is an active member of the Student Trustee Cultural Liaison Board. Committed to uplifting Indigenous voices, Yanaba leads “Project Green,” an initiative revitalizing land stewardship and traditional farming to address the diabetes epidemic on the Navajo Nation. She also volunteers with Adopt a Native Elder and the DigDeep Foundation. Yanaba is honored to represent her Navajo heritage and community on the Homecoming Court.
Sam Christoff, Danville, is majoring in animal sciences. On campus, he serves as Vice President of Standards for the Interfraternity Council and Managing Editor of the Illinois Student Undergraduate Research Journal. His research in the Harley Lab focuses on biomaterials and wound healing. This past summer, he worked at Bellevue Hospital in New York while conducting research at NYU, gaining experience in trauma care and community health. Inspired by mentorship and driven to expand access to care, Christoff sees Homecoming Court as an opportunity to honor both his family’s Illinois legacy and the impact of his time on campus.