Voices of ACES Blog

Every Gift More Than Meets the I

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As the end of the calendar year approaches, there is typically an increase in mail and email from a variety of non-profit organizations seeking contributions. You might be asking yourself if and how your philanthropic contribution can create an impact. Often, it’s the collective of annual contributions that provides critical support for a mission. This is certainly the case with the more than 1,300 gifts made each year to the College of ACES Annual Fund. Gifts of all sizes to the ACES Annual Fund are imperative to fulfilling our land-grant mission.

Voices of ACES Blog

Learning about the value of agriculture at the beef farm

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Following the close of my freshman year, I was questioning my purpose at this university. I had little direction with respect to my studies, and was having trouble pinpointing my passion. After significant thought and intense debate, I made the decision not to return to the university for the upcoming fall semester.

Voices of ACES Blog

A travel through time

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With the fall semester of school at the University of Illinois now in full swing, college students from all majors and cities, with many different talents can be seen walking, talking, and exploring campus. Despite the many activities going on throughout the heart of the university, many students are unaware of the rich, exciting history that has affected their daily lives.

Voices of ACES Blog

Sierra Leone ACES study abroad reflections

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I have wanted to travel to Africa since I was 14 years old, and this past winter break I was able to finally fulfill that dream. I traveled to Sierra Leone, where I, and nine other students, did work with the World Fish Foundation, educating farmers about how to grow their fisheries and supply better fish to customers and their families. This tied in with the nutritional aspect of the trip, which was focused on educating farmers and villagers about the importance of adequate protein intake.

Voices of ACES Blog

Studying social media behaviors in the HEART lab

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When I joined HDFS, I wanted to explore all that the major had to offer, especially in terms of working with faculty. I read up on our professors, their research, and the opportunities they presented to undergraduates. After reaching out to some of these professors, I was lucky enough to join the Healthy Experiences Across Relationship Transitions (HEART) Lab with Dr. Brian Ogolsky.

Voices of ACES Blog

Wageningen in the spring

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I had the amazing opportunity to spend four and a half months in the Netherlands this past spring semester. I studied at Wageningen University, a school dedicated to educating its students about environmental health and sustainability. I decided to study abroad at this university because it is a prestigious school in the field of environmental science, which also happens to be my major. Throughout my adventure, I had the opportunity to grow both as an individual and as a professional in my career field.

Voices of ACES Blog

Preparing for a career in food science through undergraduate research

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Since October 2019, I’ve performed undergraduate research in Dr. Helferich’s Lab, earning credit for FSHN 295. During my time in the lab, I’ve gained practical knowledge extremely important to food scientists ranging from the handling of mouse tissue all the way to conducting proper protein assays.

Voices of ACES Blog

Bridging the gap between university and community

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Working in Dr. Shardé Smith’s lab with C-HeARTS (Community Healing and Resistance Through Storytelling) has expanded the idea of home and given me a bigger village in the Champaign-Urbana community, which I have grown to love, that supports me on my academic journey.

My project has allowed me to be actively engaged in the community while still having ties to the university. The goal is to bridge the gap between these two entities.

Voices of ACES Blog

Learning the basics of conducting research on childhood nutrition

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This past summer, Dr. Prescott and her research team in Food Science and Human Nutrition conducted a study titled Time for Lunch, which studied the impact of school lunchtime constraints on dietary food behaviors among children participating in summer camps held on campus.

Voices of ACES Blog

Shadowing doctors in Zimbabwe helps prepare for medical school

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Going to Zimbabwe was one of the most impactful experiences I have had in my college career. The trip brought nearly complete cultural immersion while also maintaining a specific service objective. I was fortunate enough to have had an extensive academic background to support our goals during the trip. As a Human Development and Family Studies (HDFS) major, many of my classes have been focused around public health.

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