Stephanie Lepak is an Academic Program Coordinator in the LAS International Programs Office at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. A proud first-generation college graduate, she earned her Bachelor of Science in Global Studies and Spanish from the university, with a concentration in Environment, Sustainability, and Social Responsibility. Her passion for international education was sparked by transformative study abroad experiences in Spain and Italy, where she worked on sustainable tourism initiatives and gained hands-on experience in biological agriculture at a cooperative farm.