Illinois Featured Content

Report quantifies grads' first destinations

Mar 7, 2018 11:15 am

Alumni with recently completed undergraduate degrees will again exceed national averages related to graduates securing first destinations, according to an annual survey

Close-up of Illinois graduate during Commencement exercises

Recent Illinois grads succeeding despite pandemic

Mar 9, 2022 11:30 am

The Illini Success report found that 94% of graduates secured a 'first destination' – defined as a job, enrollment in graduate or professional school, or a volunteer position – within six months of graduation.

Alma Mater statue. Photo by Michelle Hassel

I-Ready online camp for college-bound students with autism

Apr 11, 2022 3:30 pm

'This camp gives students a more concrete idea of what college is like and helps them and their parents prepare and decide if a competitive university is right for them,' says Autism Program director Jeanne Kramer.

Bioengineering professor Holly Golecki, left, works with Andy Granados, a participant in the First-Generation Scholars Research Program, designing an actuator with a balloon inside polyester mesh in order to create a silicone heart model that pumps fluids. Photo by Fred Zwicky.

First-Generation Scholars Research Program provides research experience and more

Apr 11, 2025 9:15 am

The First-Generation Scholars Research Program at Illinois provides students with research skills and help with the ins and outs of college life that those who haven’t been exposed to higher education may not know.

Critical Language scholarship awardees - Caleb Apperson, Aiman Ghani and Dahlia Davis. Photos provided.

Illinois students receive Critical Language Scholarships

Apr 28, 2022 8:45 am

The U.S. Department of State program provides full scholarships to U.S. undergraduate and graduate students to spend eight to 10 weeks abroad, with an expectation that they'll use their language skills in their future careers.

Special COVID-19 research category winner by grad student Charles Chen

Beckman Institute Research Image Contest winners

May 28, 2021 10:45 am

'Every year, I’m amazed at the quality of both the research being conducted, and the beautiful images that result,' said Beckman Institute Director Jeff Moore. This year’s contest included a special category on COVID-19-related research.

Grace Maloney is among nine University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign students and recent graduates offered an opportunity to pursue international education, research and teaching experiences via Fulbright grants. Photo by Cameron Kagel

Nine Illinois students, recent graduates offered Fulbright grants

Jun 14, 2021 4:45 pm

Nine U of I students and recent graduates have been offered Fulbright grants to pursue international education, research and teaching experiences around the globe this coming year.

aerial view of the final three pools that are being mapped

Searching for an ancient Maya pilgrimage path: The elusive pools

Jul 2, 2017 9:00 am

Researchers are mapping the final three of 25 sacred pools at Cara Blanca, an ancient Maya pilgrimage site in central Belize

Yaks graze at Savannah Ridge Farms. (Photo courtesy: Dale Mize)

Humanities students build bridges to strong communities

Jul 15, 2024 11:30 am

Doctoral students in humanities are participating in community-based project to bring awareness to food sourcing and sustainable agriculture.

Professor Andrew Leakey with former undergraduate researcher Kevin Wolz. Photo by Brian Stauffer

Two undergrads improve plant carbon-cycle models

Jul 24, 2017 10:30 am

Researchers found that plants vary a lot in the efficiency with which they uptake carbon dioxide and conserve water

Hacking their way through cutting grass, researchers make their way to the last of 25 pools to be mapped and surveyed in Cara Blanca, Belize. Photo by Tony Rath

Searching for an ancient Maya pilgrimage path: Fire and water

Jul 30, 2017 4:15 pm

You can't just walk to the edge of the Mayan underworld. You have to beat a path to it.

Illinois students collaborate on emergency call simulation

Oct 8, 2019 4:30 pm

Students from the Carle Illinois College of Medicine, UIC College of Nursing (Urbana campus), the School of Social Work and College of Applied Health Sciences collaborate on a 911 call simulation.

A student at a recent virtual reality open house tests how virtual reality equipment enhances educational experiences in the Department of Anthropology.

Real growth in virtual reality learning experiences

Oct 10, 2019 9:45 am

From courses in humanities to science, more students enhance learning through virtual reality.

students and staff of Native American House stand around signage wearing t-shirts that read, "Indigenous Scholar"

Grant will fund Democracy is Indigenous Project at Illinois

Oct 10, 2024 2:45 pm

The NAH undergraduate ambassadors' project goals include providing a safe space for students to discuss their feelings about the upcoming election, and boosting on-campus voter registration.

1. Working in an epidemiology laboratory and the COVID-19 pandemic have taught undergraduate student Rachel Lupas about managing infectious disease.

Adjusting to these 'ever-changing times'

Nov 25, 2020 10:15 am

'My training in this lab makes me more conscious of the proper ways to deal with infectious biological material, an invaluable benefit during COVID-19.'

Phillip B. Williams is set to publish his first novel, "Ours," based on a short story he wrote while a student at Illinois. (Photo provided.)

The short story behind a novel career

Dec 11, 2023 1:15 pm

'I learned a lot with (my professors), particularly how to write weekly even when I didn’t have anything immediately that I wanted to say...' Phillip Williams said. 'But because they saw something in my work, I only grew from there.'

The winning team from Carle Illinois' first Health Mirror Make-a-thon

Carle Illinois' first ever Make-a-thon: Conceiving the 'health mirror'

Dec 19, 2018 11:00 am

Participants spent a day brainstorming solutions to a simple question: 'What if healthy living was as simple as looking in a mirror?'

a woman interacts with swine in a pen at U of I's animal sciences facilities

New Illinois ACES-Vet Med partnership supports future food animal vets

Feb 11, 2025 8:45 am

A new program allows animal sciences majors to gain early acceptance at Vet Med if they maintain a 3.5 GPA, complete livestock-related courses, and plan to become food animal veterinarians.

Women selling wares in the mahila bazaar say they must fend off drunken men, sexual harassment, thieves and other hazards, but having a market of their own is better than trying to sell in markets dominated by men, where they are also hassled by police and municipal authorities.

Building trust in a market for women vendors

Feb 13, 2020 4:00 pm

This is a mahila bazaar in New Dehli, a retail zone set aside for women vendors only. It provides safety from the harassment and abuse they faced in other markets from male vendors, police and public officials.

Robotic arm gives architecture students more fabrication options

Mar 15, 2017 3:30 pm

The School of Architecture has a new fabrication tool for students to use in building objects they’ve designed.

Inaugural showcase to celebrate student media production projects

Apr 14, 2023 1:00 pm

The Department of Media & Cinema Studies presents the inaugural student showcase, featuring faculty-curated work created by students throughout the academic year.

SSC’s Illinois Green Fund helped fund the Solar Farm 2.0 project. Photo by Facilities & Services at Illinois

Two decades of student investment in campus sustainability

Apr 19, 2023 11:30 am

In 2003, U of I students approved a 'Cleaner Energy Technologies Fee' of $2 per semester. Its overwhelming approval marked one of the first times a university’s student body financially committed to funding renewable energy sources.

Searching for turtles in a sea of grass

Jun 5, 2018 10:30 am

To survey local Ornate Turtles, one has to find them. Turtle tracking dogs help a lot.

the Alma Mater statue, viewed from the rear

Interested in Illinois? Come visit us!

Sep 11, 2017 2:00 pm

There are several opportunities for you to visit the Illinois campus, sit in on a class, and tour Housing facilities

Students stop hackers while earning course credit

Sep 13, 2017 9:30 am

'We’re a major research university with a world-renowned Computer Science department.These students...can look at some our code and clean it up, make it more efficient, in just a few minutes'

Students examine a black bear’s incisors. Photo by Fred Zwicky

Weighing bears, corralling otters and healing wild beasts

Sep 30, 2019 2:00 pm

How do you weigh a fully grown American black bear? These veterinary medicine students know the answer, and it's a bit more complicated than just saying, 'very carefully.'

Bhargavee Gnana, Tessabella Magliochetti, and Nellie Haug of Team AmnioAlert display their prize - a $25,000 check.

CI MED team's labor onset detection system wins top prize in pitch competition

Oct 28, 2024 12:15 pm

AmnioAlert is a non-invasive underwear liner designed to provide an objective and cost-effective indication of labor onset for pregnant women, preventing unnecessary trips to the hospital for ‘false alarms.’

Latina/o students outdoors in an orchard or tree nursery

Un camino a sí misma: Brenda

Nov 20, 2019 12:30 pm

Brenda's Illinois journey involved both connecting with her Mexican heritage through La Casa Cultural Latina, and opening herself to new experiences and challenges.

Mary Pat McGuire; students Yang Xia, Xi Wang, Jinyu Shen, Jingyi Li, Bo Pang, Lixian Zeng, Yi Zhao and Mengdi Chi; ASLA student awards jury member Diana Fernandez; and Shawn Kelly, ASLA president.

Landscape Architecture society recognizes students' efforts on urban flooding

Dec 17, 2019 10:30 am

Illinois students from a variety of disciplines developed a comprehensive urban stormwater redesign for a 300-acre neighborhood in Calumet City, Illinois, a suburb southeast of Chicago.

graphic shows line drawing of human head/brain surrounded by circuits

Synapses and silicon: Student contest blends biology and computer science to advance AI

Jan 24, 2023 9:00 am

The 2023 Bio-informed AI Research Competition encourages students in the behavioral and computer sciences to pursue collaborative AI research. The inaugural winners advise applicants in 2023 to 'be brave' and stay open-minded.

rear view of Alma Mater statue with orange and blue color overlay

Interested in Illinois? Visit us!

Feb 11, 2019 6:30 pm

A guide to campus visit dates whether you're a propective student, and admitted student, or seek to transfer to Illinois from another institution

Interested in Illinois? Attend a summer program on campus!

Feb 23, 2018 10:45 am

With an Illinois summer program, you can earn class credit, explore possible majors, or just see what life at Illinois is really like

Image of Research: Bare Witness

Apr 4, 2018 1:45 am

Graduate student Matthew Go established the first Filipino skeletal research collection in the world. He is a semifinalist in the 2018 Image of Research competition

Astronomy grad student's research project garners $1M in NASA funding

May 7, 2025 1:15 pm

The project addresses one of the most critical challenges of the European Space Agency Euclid mission—the precise detection and classification of blended astronomical objects in deep, multi-band, high-resolution imaging.

Lessons learned from starting a teaching career in a pandemic

Jun 2, 2021 9:30 am

2020 Elementary Education graduates began their teaching careers during this most unusual, pandemic-affected school year. Six spoke with Lynn Burdick, ElEd program coordinator about the ups and downs of their first-year experience.

University of Illinois students Madeline Ford and Michael Mitchell. Photos provided

Two Illinois undergrads to study at U.K. Fulbright Summer Institute

Jun 6, 2018 10:15 am

Madeline Ford of Henning, Illinois, and Michael Mitchell, of DeKalb, Illinois, are among 60 U.S. students selected for U.K. Summer Fulbright opportunities

young bird nests among leaves on the forest floor. Photo by author

Waiting for the sun to set to find a rare bird

Jun 30, 2022 10:00 am

Each night, we perform checks of Whip-Poor-Will nests to record development of eggs and chicks, as well as instances of predation or failure. Nests are at risk on the ground, but a few broods hatch and reach fledging age, when they begin to fly.

Outreach and public engagement coordinator Lara Hebert, left, postdoctoral research associate Gabriel Burks, and bioengineering professor Jennifer Amos (shown on laptop screen, right), developed a virtual summer camp that gave about 500 high school students across the U.S. the opportunity to sample 12 engineering disciplines. Photo illustration by Fred Zwicky

Students use TikTok to learn about biomechanics in virtual summer camps

Aug 13, 2020 1:15 pm

Researchers developed a virtual summer camp that gave about 500 high school students across the U.S. the opportunity to sample 12 engineering disciplines.

Illini Pride: Two thousand strong, full of spirit

Oct 23, 2019 9:45 am

'Being involved in the student section (at athletic events) is an easy way to get students from all different backgrounds in one environment where they’re all coming together to cheer for one thing.'

Illinois Physics graduate student Colin Lualdi demonstrates the sign for 'quantization,' which he developed as part of the recent effort by the Deaf community to develop more ASL STEM signs.

The challenges, triumphs of a Deaf physics grad student

Nov 26, 2019 8:15 am

The exhilaration of performing cutting-edge research was accompanied by a sobering discovery: the lack of a common language model for scientific discourse in sign language was going to be a greater challenge than he’d anticipated.

Illinois senior Grace Mitchell of Dixon, Illinois

Illinois senior named Schwarzman Scholar

Dec 7, 2022 8:45 am

Grace Mitchell was named a Schwarzman Scholar, one of 150 recipients selected from an international pool of 3,000 applicants to recognize students who seek a better understanding of China’s role in the world and have potential as future leaders.

Front: Jasmine Brown. Back (from left): Diane Gottheil, Abigail Steimel, Jamie Sergay, Sung Jae Hwang, Adam Rosales, and Professor Elizabeth Hsiao-Wecksler.

C-U resident benefits from ‘perfect’ Mechanical Science & Engineering student project

Dec 12, 2019 9:15 am

The 'gait trainer' project team designed and modified a walker-like device for the course, and then presented it to client Jasmine Brown, a single mother of two who has cerebral palsy.

NBA All-Star Weekend was a slam dunk for Illinois students

Feb 20, 2020 3:45 pm

Three Illinois students in the Department of Recreation, Sport and Tourism recap their five-day experience at the NBA All-Star Game in Chicago.

sisters Carolyn Whiteman, Head of Talent Acquisition at LyondellBassell, and Anika Whiteman, Assistant Vice President of HR at The Hartford. Photo provided.

Celebrating Black leadership and mentorship at Labor and Employment Relations

Feb 26, 2025 9:45 am

Two sisters who both found their paths in human resources at U. of I., embody what makes LER unique: strong networks, transformative education, and commitment to uplifting one another.

Illini Success Report shows recent grad accomplishments

Mar 5, 2019 8:30 am

Illinois Bachelor’s degree recipients continue to experience exceptional success in securing a 'first destination' – a job, enrollment in graduate school or a volunteer position – within six months

image of the product, Pail, holding a lunch.

Design students win award for innovative lunch box design, Pail

Mar 12, 2025 11:00 am

U. of I. industrial design students won the IHS Global Innovation Award for Excellence in Student Design, awarded by The International Housewares Association for their innovative lunch box design, Pail.

composite of thumbnail images of Image of Research semifinalists

Image of Research semifinalists. Vote for your favorite!

Mar 19, 2024 1:15 pm

You'll be amazed at the diversity and beauty of graduate student research at Illinois. We invite you to explore the online exhibition and vote for your top three entries. Your votes will determine the People's Choice winner ($100 award).

The on-air and production team for 'Illini Sports Night' in a group pose during an Illini Women's Basketball game

‘Illini Sports Night’ airs first show on B1G+ network

Mar 23, 2023 4:30 pm

'It was awesome to see that hard work and preparation create a live show,' said Emmie Larson, senior in journalism and executive producer of Illini Sports Night. 'This is something we’ve all never done before. It was cool to know we were capable of doing that.'

graphic says 'Undergraduate Research Week, April 21 - 27, 2024

A celebration of student innovation and excellence at Illinois

Apr 22, 2024 8:15 am

Campus events include workshops on getting started in research, special exhibits, and colloquia sponsored by individual departments, programs, and units, highlighting the best of our students’ work.

#ILLINOIS2020 Outstanding Graduates: Emma Taylor

May 8, 2020 2:15 pm

Emma Taylor’s introduction to the jazz program at the University of Illinois came through a jam session at the Iron Post, a downtown Urbana live music venue.

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