Students

Students at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign are not lacking in U of I pride, and it’s not uncommon to see Memorial Stadium or the State Farm Center packed with students cheering on Illini athletes. What many people might not know, though, is behind the scenes and on the sidelines at U of I sporting events, College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES) students are working hard to help fuel and hydrate players during games and practices.

URBANA, Ill. – When Lizzy Geary began contemplating graduate programs for companion animal nutrition, she knew she needed an edge. As an undergraduate in the Department of Animal Sciences at the University of Illinois, she heard of a new certificate program that would set her apart from the rest.

URBANA, Ill. – The College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES) this fall added three new in-state transfer pathway programs for Illinois Valley Community College, Richland Community College, and Triton College students.

URBANA, Ill. – It’s officially cookie-baking season, and University of Illinois food scientists and chefs are showing their Illinois pride with a new cookie recipe, fully vegan, baked in the shape of the beloved Illinois “Block I.”

And as an even-bigger nod to Illinois, the cookie’s featured ingredient is pumpkin. After all, Illinois is the highest pumpkin-producing state in the nation. 

URBANA, Ill. – Financial planning students get to hone their skills and gain valuable experience in real-life simulations through industry competitions.

A team of three University of Illinois students placed in the top eight of the national Financial Planning Association Challenge this fall. Paulina Cylwik, Maureen McCullough, and Ethan Krumwiede, seniors in agriculture and consumer economics with concentrations in financial planning, represented the university and the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES) in the competition.

URBANA, Ill. – Sustainability is an important focus in the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES) at University of Illinois, and students are learning how to create more sustainable systems across all of ACES’ areas of study.

One way students are able to weave all this together is through ACES’ new Metropolitan Food & Environmental Systems (MFST) major where students learn about every aspect of building stronger and more sustainable food systems on both local and global scales.

While students wait eagerly for study abroad programs to open back up, the ACES Global Service Learning course is proving to be a fulfilling alternative. 

ACES 298 is a first-year experience course that would typically be connected to a study abroad program, but this year it is presented without travel to connect with community partners in Italy, Ecuador, and Pine Ridge (SD). This class is offered in partnership with Amizade, a global service learning nonprofit who has facilitated many of ACES study abroad programs in the past.

Learning to adapt and overcome challenges are central competencies that can be learned through studying abroad, and 2020 has spurred a need for even more creativity and flexibility within the field. Given that travel restrictions have limited in-person experiences for students and institutions over the past nine months, virtual project-based programs have become increasingly present with opportunities for students to still connect around the world and develop global competencies in an innovative and resourceful way.

College can be difficult – any student knows that. What many students may not know, though, is how dedicated their teachers and advisors are to helping them navigate what can be a stressful and confusing time, especially now.

URBANA, Ill. – Ashli Trudeau wrapped her hand around the little bird ever so gently, carefully following instructions to keep the American Goldfinch safe. She could feel the bird’s tiny feathery heart racing against her fingers, and her own skipped a beat.

“Its feathers were one of the softest things I have ever felt,” she recalls. “I only held the bird for 10 or 15 seconds, but that memory will stay with me forever.”