blog navigation

blog posts

  • Andi Zenku | Class of 2022

    Biography: An Albanian-American student striving to utilize my knowledge in data, statistics, programming, and human psychology to predict the future and improve outcomes to the advancements of our society.

    Why Information Sciences: Analysis of the past through big data will lead to better predictions of the future which is invaluable for any industry and this is one of my main reasons why I want to major in Information Sciences. Today we produce an incredible amount of data and through its analysis we can now achieve significant improvements in productivity, efficiency and quality in every sector. This universal application of the Information Sciences is another reason why this field is so attractive to me.

    Campus Involvement & Experiences: Albanian Student Association, University of Illinois Hospital and Health Sciences System Volunteer, Ministry of Health, Republic of North Macedonia Volunteer

  • John Gadomski | Class of 2024

    Biography: My name is John and I am from Chicago. I enjoy watching Youtube and going outdoors.

    Why Information Sciences: I have always found it easier and more enjoyable to work with numbers and math in school than anything else.

    Campus Involvement & Experiences: Took part in Best Buddies, Red Cross club, and played baseball and basketball during highschool.

  • Jane Chun | Class of 2021

    Biography: I am a first-generation, Asian-American student pursuing a dual-degree in Graphic Design and Information Sciences. I am doing both because I am interested in using user data and feedback to better my design work. In my free time, I love to bake new desserts and visit new places

    Why Information Sciences: Technology use and its influence is growing at a rapid rate in the current society and I want tounderstand it better. I am very interested in the social implications it has since nowadays, not havingbasic technical skills puts one at a disadvantage in any field. I am already in a tech-based majorand while I know how to use a computer and its software to design beautiful things, I want to learnmore about the interactions and effects of technology on humanity. I also have an interest in thedata and research of technology and its users. Data and tracking are huge right now, ranging fromunderstanding user behavior and the ethical issues with tracking – both are valuable information.

    Campus Involvement & Experiences: Design For America, Graphic Design Assistant at Spurlock Museum, IAGE Abroad with Lorenzo de 'Medici Institute, Literary Journal of The University of the Incarnate World2020 Issue 

  • Willy Ling | Class of 2022

    Minor in Japanese

    Biography: Originally in music technology, currently studying information sciences.

    Why Information Sciences: Personally, I’d always enjoyed analyzing data and information in daily life; little things like lookingat the way someone walks and predicting which way I should go to avoid bumping into them, orseeing the motion of a car and guessing what direction they’ll go at an intersection. Incorporatingmore specific techniques in analyzing data and being able to make sense of that data is somethingI feel I’d enjoy doing very much. Information science is a field that has experienced more growth each year as databecomes a bigger part of our daily lives.

    Campus Involvement & Experiences: Kendo Club, ACM, SIGmusic, Playing music instruments

  • Khushi Jain | Class of 2024

    Biography: Khushi Jain is a freshman undergraduate student at University of Illinois Urbana Champaign, where she is currently studying Information Sciences. She has lived in 3 different countries and can speak in 3 languages. Passionate about arts and her cultural heritage, she has been training in Indian classical dance and music for the past 8 years. Merging her passion for technology and music, she dreams of creating a non-profit educational organization that leverages special online tools for teaching students diverse styles of music.

    Why Information Sciences: Our world revolves around data and I believe that learning how to efficiently collect, manipulate, store, retrieve, and protect it will better prepare me for the IT industry, which is why I chose this major. I was also attracted to the human aspect/social perspective that the ischool integrates into the curriculum.

    Campus Involvement & Experiences: Trained in Indian classical music (singing) and dance for 8 years, completed a Bachelor's degree in Indian classical vocal music, started GEMS(Girls in Engineering, Mathematics, and Science) club at my high school and was co-president, part of the Varsity Science Olympiad team for four years, created a Covid 19 information app as a part of Computer Science class, volunteered at Edward hospital as a guest service associate for 6 months, volunteered as a teacher/assistant at Kumon Math and Reading Center, attended GenCyber camp: 1 week cyber security camp at College of Dupage, part of Student Counts: math tutoring club in high school, played the flute in Band (high school) throughout middle school up till Sophomore year, part of Robotics club senior year, part of BPA(Business Proffessionals of America) sophomore year, part of Badminton and Cross Country team freshman 

  • Grace Delacruz | Class of 2022

    Why Information Sciences: I think Information Sciences will give me both the technological and social, human-centered knowledge and background that I need. Technology is not deterministic and instead exists within a complex web of people, systems, and social and cultural contexts. Therefore, in order for it to be impactful and meaningful, there needs to be understanding of how it informs and relates to these things. So along with learning about network systems, databases, data processing and modeling, analytical methods, design, and such, I want to learn about how they engage with broader social systems and the human component that they ultimately are supposed to serve.

    Campus Involvement & Experiences: FCA Camp Counselor, Writing Center Student Tutor at Marquette, Marquette Volunteer Corps, Fade In Film Club, Marquette Running Club

  • James Nam | Class of 2022

    Biography: Hi! I'm a junior from the Chicago suburbs (Glenview).I'm a video game enthusiast who also enjoys building computers and playing volleyball.

    Why Information Sciences: I want to be able to use the methodical process of analyzing player data to maintain competitive integrity, and I believe the Information Sciences major is a perfect opportunity to learn the impacts of data. The pathways offered by the major align with my goal of having an impact on the creative direction of a game and solve consumer needs.

    Campus Involvement & Experiences: SIGPwny & GameBuilders (Association of Computing Machinery), Asian American Association, Volunteer with Milal Mission, Tutor with Eye Level Learning, Project Member of InstaPoll, Part Time Job at Iron Age Korean Steakhouse

  • Nisha Kalra | Class of 2022

    Minor in Business

    Why Information Sciences: Technology is becoming more advanced and being used by society every day. I am someone who is constantly dealing with technology whether it be collecting data and insights related to a school assignment, streaming Netflix, or being on social media. I want to major in information science because I have a great interest in technology, data, and problem-solving. Majoring in information science allows me to learn the skills to develop/design computer software and applications, manage information/data, and drive business decisions through data.

    Campus Involvement & Experiences: Internship with Wavicle Data Solutions, Internship with Huge Inc., Illini Bhangra Competitive Dance Team, Kumon Tutor, Volunteering

  • Rhea Kalra | Class of 2022

    Minor in Business     

    Why Information Sciences: From childhood, technology has been a part of my life, the internet and Google are things I have always used. Twenty years later the world has more access to information because of computers, mobile phones, and the internet availability. An Information Science degree provides me the foundation to understand technology systems and big data. The degree will guide me in how to make technology user friendly, accessible, and beneficial to society. I will put the tools I learn in theory into practice benefiting businesses and consumers. I will have opportunities in different career paths because of the background I develop, whether as a business analyst, or as project manager, or in data analytics.

    Campus Involvement & Experiences: Internship with Wavicle Data Solutions, Internship with Huge Inc., Illini Bhangra Competitive Dance Team, Kumon Tutor, Volunteering

  • Jose Ramos | Class of 2022

    Biography: I am a junior at the University of Illinois, with an interest in data science and analytics. I work with technology services while I am on campus. A few of my hobbies include playing the drums, soccer, and bike riding.

    Why Information Sciences: With time and teachings from various classes, I came to learn that information science is not a simple field to define. The truth about information science comes to a simple understanding, in which the field can be described as both multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary. I believe this to be one of the greatest strengths within the field and one of the most exciting traits that I know I will find in future classes and career path. The fact that one can become knowledgeable across different disciplines while working towards the same goal of understanding the relationship between people, information, and technology is something I wish to be a part of.

    Campus Involvement & Experiences: College and Community Engagement Intern for Chicago Scholars, Technology Services at Illinois, Economics Club, Illinois Promise Council, Young Researchers Project with Dr. Magee

  • Brandon Harris | Class of 2023

    Biography: I'm from Vernon Hills, Illinois. I'm a huge sports fan, with the Chicago Bears and Bulls being my favorite teams to watch.

    Why Information Sciences: I want to major in IS because I feel that this major suits my skills and passions the best. I am very interested in learning how our world revolves around data and technology and I feel that by majoring in IS, I can pursue learning about these topics while also receiving new skills and knowledge about the world and people. I want to be able to use data and technology to interact with people and help others, which is exactly what Google and Apple are doing. It's exciting to me because it shows just how important the field of IS is and the benefits it can have on society.

    Campus Involvement & Experiences: Social Fraternity, Volunteering, Part-Time Work with Vernon Hills Youth Athletic Association & Dick's Sporting Goods

  • Edward Sung | Class of 2022

    Biography: I am an incoming transfer student from the University of Washington at Seattle. I like photography and vlog, check out my youtube channel if you are interested.

    Why Information Sciences: I enjoy addressing data, especially analyzing the results I get from datasets. To me, Information Sciences combine both technology and information, which give me a flexibility to utilize skills in the two domains.

    Campus Involvement & Experiences: Classroom Technician at the UW Academic Technologies Department, Gravitational Wave Research, Creating UW EPE Physics Website, InfoMap Research, President of Taiwanese Youth Alliance of Pacific Northwest, Internship at Magitech, Internship at UW iSchool doing Virtual Job Fair, Def Hackathon, UW Datathons, UW Protothons, UW Photography Team, Assistant Director of Communication and Marketing at UW Lander Hall Council, Dawg Crew Volunteering

  • Xavier Ruiz | Class of 2023

    Biography: I am a sophomore participating in NROTC within the university interested in pursuing cyber security within the U.S Marine Corps. My hobbies include playing the saxophone and self teaching myself new computer science related skills.

    Why Information Sciences: I want to major in Information Science because I believe that the world runs on data and I want to help further our society’s knowledge about it. To me, data at its core, is information presented in a meaningful context. As a species, we cannot possibly begin to analyze data, trends, statistics without understanding the information it represents. With an Information Sciences major, I hope to achieve a deeper understanding about information not only in its technical field, but also how it is applied to the real world.

    Campus Involvement & Experiences: Supply Officer & Clerk with UIUC Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps, SigPwny, Illinois Esports

  • Thomas McShane | Class of 2022

    Dual Degree with Economics

    Biography: My name is Thomas McShane and I am a junior at UIUC. I am so excited to be a part of the Information Sciences program on the Data Analysis pathway.

    Why Information Sciences: I believe that this major would allow me to be a very impressive candidate for the highly competitivejob sector that I am hoping to be a part of. I believe that the Information Sciences Major would helpme reach my goals by giving me the stand out skill set to be noticed and then to help me able toapply what I learned to make a impactful difference in the workplace.

    Campus Involvement & Experiences: Internship at Tradelink, Internship with Goldman Sachs, STEM Camp Counselor, AYSO Referee, Volunteering

  • Tyler Zweig | Class of 2022

    Biography: As of right now I would say that I do not have any specific jobs that I want to rush into. In my future career, I could see myself possibly becoming a data architect, creating structures to crunch large sets of data, or possibly figuring out a way to contextualize and make sense to visualize what the data means. In terms of where I am looking to work I don't really have a preference of a big company or small, as long as the company I work for is trying to do some good for the world.

    Why Information Sciences: Information Science can be applied in many situations for pretty much every type of business, which is a large reason of why I want to become an information scientist. I want to be able to know that no matter where I end up as a professional I will be an asset that has value, and in my mind the value that information scientists bring to companies will always be essential. Even in these troubling times, I see that those in information related fields such as dataanalysts doing work for the betterment of the world, such as creating visual systems that help track people with COVID-19 to notify those around them.

    Campus Involvement & Experiences: Canopy Club Street Team, Social Fraternity, Camp Counselor, Part Time Job at Lazy Dog Bar and Grill

  • Grace Mongan | Class of 2021

    Biography: I am a Sophomore on the Fighting Illini Co-ed Cheer team. I'm also a member of the professional agricultural sorority Sigma Alpha. I'm excited to see where my time at the iSchool takes me!

    Why Information Sciences: I accepted an internship with Caterpillar for Data Analytics and thought that learning the broad subject of Statistics didn't seem like the proper education for that type of position which was really my end goal as a career. I really enjoy the applied side of Statistics (which isn't often a topic in stats courses) and analyzing what everything truly means which is what I am looking to do as a career. After finding IS107 and currently taking it and enjoying, it seems I have found a better match in Information Science.

    Campus Involvement & Experiences: Data Analytics Intern for Caterpillar, Athlete-Member of Co-ed Cheerleading Team at the University of Illinois, Professional Sorority, FFA: School Chapter Officer, Panhellenic Council Representative, Snyder’s Ace Hardware and Pharmacy Sales Associate, Macauley’s Curview Angus Representative

  • Jeremy Kim | Class of 2023

    Biography: I have always wanted to travel the world and see nature and landmarks. My dream is to work within a professional sports organization and become a statistical analyst.

    Why Information Sciences: The reasons I want to major in Information Sciences come from my STEM strength and my interest in technology. I see Information Sciences as the stepping stones of my future. I firmly believe that this major can pave the way for not only future jobs, but skills that can be applied in all different areas of life. Information Sciences collects knowledge from so many different areas of study and creates a combination of it all. I think this knowledge that extends further than just coding and math is what is going to separate me for the future.

    Campus Involvement & Experiences: Minority Business Students Association, Liberty in North Korea, CFC Christian Organization

  • Mateo Strainis | Class of 2024

    Biography: I am an avid sports lover and plan to work in that sector after school. In addition to sports, I spend a lot of my free time working out and researching new ways to create sports analytical programs.

    Why Information Sciences: I plan on a future in statistics specifically in sports or the financial sector, IS was the perfect major for me. When I found out Illinois offered it and was a top program I jumped right on it. I love the concept of combining computers and numbers into one major.

    Campus Involvement & Experiences: I was involved in Model United Nations in high school and really enjoyed that. I also spent a lot of time creating different sports statistics programs during high school and even completed a year long capstone centering around analytics in sports.

  • Joseph Cardenas | Class of 2022

    Minor in Business

    Biography: I am a rising Junior and first gen college student looking for opportunities to show my leadership qualities. Hobbies of mine include playing soccer, working/building on technology, and traveling. I was born and raised in Brighton Park, south side of Chicago while my family is from Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico.

    Why Information Sciences: Information Science is something that I have learned to value over time and ultimately become passionate about. For instance, in high school, I found myself building computers and working with many different softwares to get my mind going. have really enjoyed the idea of working hands-on with Big Data and striving to get a company to get the latest software and hardware that they possibly can. I would also like to work with a team to be able to achieve things like security, gains, and software excellence.

    Campus Involvement & Experiences: TechZone Employee, Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE), Association of Latino Professionals for America (ALPFA),  Commercial and Residential Window Cleaner with Fish Window Cleaning, Volunteering

  • Hadley So | Class of 2024

    Biography: Hadley is an undergraduate student at the School of Information Sciences. He is pursuing a Bachelor’s of Science in Information Sciences, with interests in Data Science and UI/UX. Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, Hadley has brought his appreciation of the human factors together with his love for technology as he pursues his BSIS degree.

    Why Information Sciences: I chose Information Sciences because it is the perfect combination of technology and human factors. I’ve always had a love for technology and computing, but found it too distant from the end-user sometimes. An information science enables me to utilize power of computers without forgetting the human element of our decisions.

    Campus Involvement & Experiences: Design for America || Student representative for the iSchool All-Faculty Committee || Covid-19 Infodemic research with W.H.O. and P.A.H.O || Find out more at HadleySo.com

  • Cayden Boyer | Class of 2022

    Biography: I am a senior in the BS/IS program, pursuing the data science and analytics pathway. I am looking to leverage my degree and experience in a position where I can use both my people skills and my technical skills to solve business problems.

    Why Information Sciences: Programming has always been an interest of mine; however, I have also always wanted a job in which I can help people. Information sciences is a good fit for me because I can study programming and data science, but with an ultimate goal of using the skills I learn to help people achieve their goals.

    Campus Involvement & Experiences: Information Sciences Professional Organization Co-Founder, iSchool BS/IS Ambassador, Human Resources Internship at AFSI, Network Administration Internship at Busey Bank, COVID-19 Testing Site Lead at UIUC.

  • Terence Franck Njekeu | Class of 2023

    Biography: I am originally from Cameroon in Central Africa and I love soccer and technology .

    Why Information Sciences: I am interested In Information sciences because of my curiosity of better understanding the role of technology in the business world and help people to better interact with technology.

    Campus Involvement & Experiences: DJ for the International Student Association at Parkland College, Interning at Fermilab learning about Data Science and Artificial Intelligence.

  • Abraham Martinez | Class of 2022

    Dual Degree with Economics

    Biography: Hello I am Abraham Martinez from Chicago, Illinois.  I enjoy going to concerts, playing and refereeing sports, as well as discussing technology and news way to implement it into society.

    Why Information Sciences: I would like to major in information sciences because the classes I have taken have made me really enjoy learning about information and its importance in the world and workplace. Discussing new ideas and ways to share information are some of the things I love to do with friends and family. I also enjoy discussing current events and the importance of sharing knowledge with everyone in the world as well as giving people enough resources to learn about current events and important ideas.

    Campus Involvement & Experiences: Box Office Staff at Canopy Club, Intramural Official with Campus Recreation, Association of Latino Professionals for America (ALPFA), Economics Club, Part Time Job at Caribbean Grill

  • Yosra Abdulwahid | Class of 2023

    Dual Degree with Economics

    Biography: Yosra is a sophomore pursuing a dual degree in Economics and Information Science. Yosra loves lifting, hiking, and traveling.  She is excited to continue her education at the iSchool!  

    Why Information Sciences: I feel that there are few areas of study as diverse and interdisciplinarity as Information Science. I love how the major offers the breadth and depth of technology while focusing on its impact on people. I feel that the Information Sciences major will directly prepare me for my future endeavors. All in all, I admire the constant pursuit of excellence and innovation that the iSchool strives for and want to be a part of its community.

    Campus Involvement & Experiences: Customer Service & Accounting Intern for Enterprise Works at University of Illinois Research Park, Consultant for EntreCORPS Entrepreneurial Growth Consulting Firm, General Business Mentorship Program with Cushman & Wakefield, Executive Administrative Assistant at Calvin A. West Construction Company, Illinois Marketing Association of DECA

  • Eva Hu | Class of 2021

    Dual Degree with Econometrics & Statistics

    Biography: I am currently in Statistics and Econometrics double majoring and transferred to the university 2018.

    Why Information Sciences: I find that data and computing become increasingly important today in our modern world ranging from technological innovation, analysis of human behavior, social structure and natural phenomena to the solutions to world-wide issues. In fact, from my perspective, data science, which is vigorously developing, gradually becomes a new force of production in a wide range of fields and industries. With this belief, I always seek for opportunities to enrich my data science knowledge by participating in interdisciplinary projects to have an insightful exploration on specific topics with social value and to have a systematic research on certain aspects of data science. The Information Science major offers me Data Science and Data & Society pathways, which are in parallel to my belief.

    Campus Involvement & Experiences: Illinois Geometry Lab Project (Amazon Alexa Project), Participant of 2020 Illini Datathon Competition, Software Developer for Moodle System, Research with National Center for Supercomputing Applications on Social Media Macroscope, Data Analyst for Tailored Information, Food Inspectoin Plan of Chicago Project

  • Jerry Guo | Class of 2023

    Biography: Hello, my name is Jerry!

    Why Information Sciences: Nowadays people could stay at home and get whatever they want on their phones: food, books, games… Because of this, the form of traditional business has also been changed. Especially after the quarantine, more businesses turned online in response to the newly established in-doorpolicies. More importantly, everything mentioned above creates data, which are “gold mines” full of valuable information. This information can not only make money but also save lives In the panic of dreaded viruses. In the future, I want to be a “miner” and create value for this data-driven society.

    Campus Involvement & Experiences: Data Analyst Intern with Amazon, Model United Nations, Script Writer & Director with Photon Picture, Donation Initiator for Poverty-Stricken Children in Africa and China, Participant for Debate Competition with Illinois China Summit

  • David Alegre III | Class of 2022

    Biography: My name is David Alegre III. I am from Chicago, and one day I want to use Data Science to make improvements to the education system.

    Why Information Sciences: Originally I was a Statistics major because I had really fallen in love with data science. I quickly realized that the statistics major was too much computing and lacked a social aspect and actual problem-solving. What I love about the major in Information Science, is the way that it incorporates technology, history, and sociology. With this in mind, I feel like I can learn so much more about what I'm passionate about through the major in Information Science. I really hope to gain some skills in computing ethics, research, and sociology. I want to be great at computing, while also having a deep understanding of the human perspective and the history of computing.

    Campus Involvement & Experiences: Neighborhood Boys and Girls Club Recreational Leader, Nordstrom Web Support, Service Fraternity, Center for Conflict Resolution Mediation Skills Training, Latinx Student Association

  • Jesse Gong | Class of 2022

    Biography: I moved from Taishan, China to America at the age of 2 and have been living in Chicago ever since. Living in Chicago for many years, I've became addicted to deep dish pizza.

    Why Information Sciences: Reading up on the goals and things that would be taught in the major I knew applying for Information Science would be a big call in my career. Majoring in Information Sciences would allow me to continue my interest in Data Science due to the technical classes and non-technical classes the major provides. I believe incorporating many things from other majors into your major of interest really strengthens your understanding of your major of interest, which I believe the different pathway provides.

    Campus Involvement & Experiences: Course Assistant for IS 107 Data Science Discovery, Afterschool Matters Mentor at Thomas Kelly Highschool, Illini Yu-Gi-Oh, Volunteering for Chicago Marathon

  • Michael Torres | Class of 2022

    Biography: My name is Michael Torres and I am from the northside of Chicago. I am junior looking forward to working in the field of Information Sciences and meeting the rest of my peers in the iSchool. I enjoy hanging out with friends, attending concerts, and running.

    Why Information Sciences: Although I was heavily engaged with technology early on, my passion was ignited in high school. My information technology course was introduced with an online program called Scratch by MIT, and through this, I was able to create beautiful stories that fascinated my peers and teachers. Since then, I became obsessed with the idea of working with technology to create useful tools and beautiful pieces of art. Eventually, I was able to explore the world of the HTML trifecta and again, was extremely fascinated about how engaged I was with my work. Just like my first engagement, I could not get enough of the process of using technology to engage, entertain, and educate my audiences. I then started to realize the pattern in what I was passionate about: I loved to work behind the scenes in order to tell a story, more specifically,to create platforms where I was able to spread information.

    Campus Involvement & Experiences: Social Fraternity, TRIO SSS Mentee, Volunteering with the Episcopal Church – Nuestra Señora De Las Americas

  • Sean Schafer | Class of 2022

    Biography: I am a funny guy whom loves to play sports and engage in social events while maintaining a respectable professional side.

    Why Information Sciences: I recently transferred from Kelley School of Business at Indiana University because I did not seem to be fully interested in a strictly business based career. Before transferring to U of I, I looked extensively into joining the informatics school at Indiana, which was an up-incoming progressive style major. However, once I heard about the I-School through an email, I knew I found my major. The social, analytical, and business hybrid of the major will properly prepare me to succeed in the future. I feel like I have a good understanding of technology, but would like to enhance it through looking and analyzing it from a social perspective.

    Campus Involvement & Experiences: Lifeguard & Swim Instructor at Forest Park Aquatic Center, Pioneer Agriculture Work Experience, Social Fraternity

  • Parth Patel | Class of 2022

    Biography: Hello, my name is Parth Patel. I am a junior studying Information Sciences with a minor in Business. A little bit about me: I was on a traditional dance team freshman year and involved in IBC. I really like playing basketball in my free time and have found a new interest in reading as well.

    Why Information Sciences: The industry of Information Sciences is transforming today’s world. With the immense changes in technology, the use of data in today’s world provides a lot of value and promising solutions to crucial problems. For example, artificial intelligence is reducing human error in business organizations, providing operational efficiency, and reducing organizational costs. However, though there are an incredible amount of benefits, there is a lot of question of whether information derived from data analytics is being used ethically. I want to major in Information Sciences because I want to be able to analyze data in a systematic manner to add value to both organizations and society. I want to ensure that I am not providing misleading and unethical data, which seems to overcrowd social and news platforms today.

    Campus Involvement & Experiences: Illinois Business Consulting (IBC) - Project Manager Role & Consulting, Raas Mania, Social Fraternity, Internship with UpKey, Finance Intern with Nordstrom

  • Keerthi Rayasam | Class of 2022

    Biography: I'm so excited to officially be an iSchool student! I can't wait to make use of the amazing iSchool resources and shape my future.

    Why Information Sciences: The Information Sciences major would provide me with the opportunity to combine my interests in multiple disciplines such as art and design, and data science/analysis, with technology. I love that the IS major gives students this opportunity of choosing courses from different parts of the knowledge spectrum and applying them together to satisfy their own unique interests! Further, I believe that in recent years, human-centered thinking and innovation has gained importance and I am excited that this is one of the pathways within the Information Sciences major.

    Campus Involvement & Experiences: Women in Economics Club, Indian Student Association, UX/UI Reading Club, Data Science Club, Research with Dr. Twidale & Siebel Center for Design

  • Ethan Igunbor | Class of 2022

    Biography: I spend my time dancing hip hop and electronic, gaming, working out, and hanging with friends. I also love bubble tea.

    Why Information Sciences: Every day I find myself trying to stay up to date with the latest innovations, usually by watching YouTube tech updates and subscribing to online feeds All of this has sparked my interest in how information is processed, consumed, and collected. When playing the video games from my childhood, such as World of Warcraft, I seem to have a huge interest in customizing my UI or interface. This later evolved to me teaching myself graphic design at the age of twelve.

    Campus Involvement & Experiences: WebMonkeys (Web Design), Uber Tech Talks, Illini Esports

  • Faadil Ahmed | Class of 2022

    Biography: Faadil is a junior, and loves to play competitive sports and hangout with friends. He also has a passion for coding and creating mobile applications. He looks forward to learning new material and programming languages to help him with his future career in the rapidly increasing technological world.

    Why Information Sciences: Over the last two years, my interest in databases and turning raw data into real-life decisions has peaked my interest. From learning HTML to SQL and learning data's impact on society to different modes of data, I can not stress enough how much I enjoyed learning. Another reason why I want to major in Information Science is the staff. From teachers to advisors, I feel as if I have a place on campus and feel connected to the teachers and what they learn; something I did not feel in my last major.

    Campus Involvement & Experiences: Data Analyst Internship with United Way, Pakistani Student Association, Muslim Student Association

  • Iman Shamim | Class of 2023

    Biography: Hi, my name is Iman Shamim and I are up around the northern Chicago suburbs. I love learning about society and how we use technology!

    Why Information Sciences: Throughout my life, I have always been fascinated with how people decide to use the information provided to them. Early in my formative years, I started volunteering at my local library, learning how my fellow community members perused through the works of many writers and experts in different fields. I realized that I wanted to translate these interests of people to settings outside of the library. When I learned about the Informations Sciences degree, I quickly saw how the degree connected the information in data and different technologies to the actual use by people.

    Campus Involvement & Experiences: Kumon Tutor, Member of Global Medical Training, Volunteering

  • Joshua Donenberg | Class of 2022

    Biography: I enjoy playing and watching basketball, playing with my dog and I also like playing video games and learning about computers. I am from the Chicago suburbs (Highland Park) and have lived in the freezing cold Illinois my entire life while my parents were born in South Africa.

    Why Information Sciences: I joined the IS major because I saw it as the perfect chance to learn how I can use technology to help build a better future for all people. I am intrigued with how businesses can make smarter decisions through the conversion of data into information and then execution into actions and by joining this major I hope to learn how Information Science plays a critical role here. I am looking for opportunities where my work is fulfilling and impactful.

    Campus Involvement & Experiences: QA Specialist - UX Design - SEO Marketing Internship with Synapse PDI, Tech Support Specialist with Illinois, Real Estate Analyst - Website Admin - Intern with New Era Chicago, Cloud & Data Management Intern - Counselor - Volunteer with Seasons Hospice & Palliative Care, Tech Support Specialist with Illinois

  • Betty Guerrero | Class of 2022

    Dual Degree with Statistics

    Biography: Hi! I am a rising junior at the university pursuing a dual-degree in Statistics and Information Science. Outside of school and work I am an avid runner and coffee connoisseur!

    Why Information Sciences: I am interested in majoring in Information Sciences because of its direct application to the workforce, it aligns closely to my interests and dual major, its interdisciplinary approach, and because it is a smaller program. I think that the new major is important because it is a direct example of a creation to meet the ever-growing demand of information specialists. I am a very data-driven and analytical individual. I hope to gain both knowledge in the collection and gathering of information and then use my statistical knowledge for analysis.

    Campus Involvement & Experiences: Edmund James Scholar Honors Program, Data Analytics Specialist with Illinois Leadership Center, Office of Minority Student Affairs Ambassador, Illini Service Dogs Student Trainee

  • Elena Marquez | Class of 2022

    Biography: I transferred to the University of Illinois from the University of San Diego this past fall (2019) and from Lake Forest IL. I've been very satisfied with my Information Sciences courses and professors, and I am excited to continue my education at the iSchool.
    Why Information Sciences: What is unique to the information sciences major is we are also taught how to think about the applications of social informatics to be able to make ethical decisions concerning privacy, use, extraction and distribution of the information acquired from data. In my future career I would like to conduct data analysis to make business decisions or find the need for new products and services. My interests vary greatly and I hope to hone in on them as I continue to learn more about information science.
    Campus Involvement & Experiences: Workflow Intelligence Data Science Intern at Zebra Technologies, Sales Associate at Sunglass Hat, Kappa Alpha Pi Pre-Law Fraternity, Research Assistant for Student International Business Council