video interview
Ian
Year: Senior
Major: English & Religious Studies
College: Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS)
One-on-One
What are your favorite places to study, hang out, and relax?
I do most of my studying at my campus home, but I do visit local coffee shops and enjoy the solitude of the second floor of the main library. I relax when meeting up with friends at local restaurants – and there are some really spectacular ones on and off campus.
What clubs or organizations on campus are you involved with?
I co-founded Acting on Aids, which takes a faith-based approach to the AIDS pandemic and seeks to raise awareness both on campus and in the community. I am involved with Campus Crusade for Christ, a nationwide college ministry that focuses on spiritual disciplines and active community involvement. Along with those specific organizations, I’ve also taught freshman as a Learning Leader through the College of LAS Learning communities program for two years. NCAA Cross-Country, Track & Field, the Campus Honors Program, and Phi Beta Kappa round out my list of activities.
Why and how did you choose your major?
Belonging to a community of faith naturally lead me to an interest in religious studies, which was my first major. The public university setting offered the sort of dialogue I naturally wanted to participate in, and the faculty members have proven tremendously helpful. English was my second choice because of my interest in writing. The unseen benefit of both majors was the opportunity to create a unique self-tailored education of a double major interdisciplinary experience.
Describe your most memorable experience at Illinois.
The most memorable occasion occurred when the Atheists, Agnostics and Free-thinkers Organization held a dialogue with members of Campus Crusade for Christ, a highly visible Christian organization. I was part of the panel, and the dialogue was tremendously insightful and positive. Those sorts of opportunities don’t happen everywhere, but at Illinois they seem understood as integral to our educational and social development.
What is your advice to prospective students?
Evaluate your goals. Walk around the Quad some weekday as a senior in high school and try to imagine yourself as part of our student body, whether these are the type of students you wish to engage with for four years and beyond. The most helpful thing for me was to talk to students already involved on campus.
Video Interview
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