Why (and how) ACES alum Bill Tarter Jr. invests in the next generation of students

Bill Tarter likes to say he grew up a Southern Illinois farm boy. The oldest of nine in a tight-knit Irish Catholic family, he found money was scarce, but opportunity was not.

His parents, both high school graduates, fostered an environment that encouraged their children to participate in 4-H, FFA, school plays, band and anything else that expanded their world.

“We didn’t have a penny, but neither did anyone else,” he said. “We didn’t know you were supposed to have money. We just knew you were supposed to work hard and show up.”

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College of ACES pioneers dual-credit opportunity for high school students

The College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is redefining educational access with the launch of ACES 102: Introduction to Sustainable Food Systems. Approved by the Illinois Board of Higher Education and debuting this fall, the course marks the first dual-credit class offered by the Urbana campus. 

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ACE 241 gives Illinois students real-world financial skills through hands-on ‘Action Learning Project’

When students enroll in Agricultural and Consumer Economics 241: Advanced Personal Finance at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, many expect a traditional course with many lectures and challenging tests. But what they find instead is an immersive, practical experience designed to strengthen financial literacy and prepare them for the real world. A component of the course that makes it different from others is the Action Learning Project. Students are then able to apply classroom concepts to benefit communities beyond campus.

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Voices of ACES Blog

Finding my place in agriculture: How AFA helped me discover my voice

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When I walked into the Agriculture Future of America (AFA) Leaders Conference for the first time, I remember feeling captivated. Hundreds of industry professionals and students in business casual and university apparel from across the country–it felt like I had walked into the "real world" of agriculture for the first time. I sat next to a stranger, who would become a close friend by the end of the weekend, and took a deep breath, realizing I was right where I was supposed to be.

That moment was the beginning of my AFA journey. 

ACES undergraduates participate in innovative internship program on global food security

Eight undergraduates from the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES) have been selected to participate in an on-campus, paid internship program to pursue work related to global food and nutritional security. 

“This is essentially a paid research experience to work in a lab for an ACES professor,” says Lauren Karplus, assistant director of international programs for ACES, who manages the internship program. 

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Voices of ACES Blog

Finding an internship: Tips for ACES students

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Experiential learning is at the core of education at the College of Agricultural, Consumer, and Environmental Science. Outside of the classroom, internships are just one way our students get their hands dirty and learn from experts in their field. Over 90% of students at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have participated in an experiential learning opportunity, like an internship, research project, or study abroad — and 42% of students received a post-graduation job offer as a result of that learning experience.

Voices of ACES Blog

Before you hit submit: 5 things I wish I knew before applying to ACES

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It is that time of year when the deadline is approaching to submit your college application, and you feel as though you are missing something. Maybe you are unsure of whether your personal essay will effectively make that impact on whoever reads it, or you don’t know if you want to be tied down for four years to your first-choice major. The good news is that I’m here — as a first-year student who just went through this!

Simma Software donates cutting-edge software to support ‘Illini Pullers’ tractor-building team

The Illini Pullers, a registered student organization at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, has received a generous donation of software from Simma Software, Inc. to help the student team build safer, more advanced tractors for competition and learning.

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Voices of ACES Blog

Five things I wish I knew as an intercollegiate transfer to ACES

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Most students switch majors a few times before graduating, and I proudly admit that I was one of them. I applied to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, planning to major in integrative biology. After a summer foray into ecological work, I decided that natural resources and environmental sciences (NRES) was more my speed.

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