Meet the ACE Ambassadors | Agricultural & Consumer Economics

We are proud of our outstanding students in the Department of ACE and are fortunate to have a group of students to represent the department and tell our story.

The ACE Ambassador Program is a group of trained students who assist prospective students in their college exploration process. Ambassadors work closely with the Department of ACE Undergraduate Programs Office as well as the College of ACES Office of Academic Programs to enhance the admissions process for prospective and incoming students. Our ambassadors also function as leaders and foster a network of peer support where students and prospective students can voice their questions and get information on many aspects of student life.

Our Ambassadors

Emily Brooks

Graduation Year: 2024
Hometown: Prophetstown, IL
Concentration: Agribusiness Markets & Management
Ambassador Bio: Emily comes from many generations of Illini and agriculturalists, so she is looking forward to being a resource for new and prospective ACE Students. In addition to serving as an ACE Ambassador, Emily works in the ACE Department's Business Office, serves as Alumni Relations Chair for UIUC Hoof N'Horn, is an active member of UIUC Collegiate Farm Bureau, and was the previous Interview Chair for 4-H House Cooperative Sorority.

Viktoriya Dragnevska

Graduation Year: 2026
Hometown: Mount Prospect, IL
Concentration: P ublic Policy and Law
Ambassador Bio: Viktoriya is a sophomore majoring in Public Policy and Law and minoring in Legal Studies. Apart from being an ACE Ambassador, she is also a part of the College of ACES Student Advancement Committee, as well as Pre-Law Honors Society and Undergraduate Law Review. She is excited to meet and aid new students!

Bailee Fanning

Graduation Year: 2024
Hometown: Milford, IL
Concentration: P ublic Policy and Law
Ambassador Bio: Bailee is a senior studying ACE Public Policy and Law. Bailee is originally from Milford, Illinois, where her passion for agriculture first started on her family farm. She is active in Sigma Alpha Professional Agriculture Sorority, Student Advancement Committee, and Collegiate Farm Bureau. Bailee hopes to pursue a career in agriculture policy and lobbying in the future.

Christina Fraser

Graduation Year: 2024
Hometown: Chardon, OH
Concentration: Public Policy and Law
Ambassador Bio: Christina is a senior in ACE Public Policy and Law. When she's not going to class, studying, or doing her job as SORF secretary, you can find her at the ARC training for her next powerlifting meet or watching bad reality TV with her friends. Christina is Vice President and co-founder of Illini Barbell and an active show team member of the Illini Equestrians Western team.

Hayden Gaskins

Graduation Year: 2024
Hometown: Harrisburg, IL
Concentration: Public Policy and Law
Ambassador Bio: Hayden is a senior in Public Policy and Law with minors in Political Science, Legal Studies, and Environmental Economics and Law. She is on the executive board of Kappa Alpha Pi Pre-Law Fraternity and is a part of the Campus Honors Program. She is an aspiring agricultural and environmental attorney who has a deep passion for the law and how it intersects the agricultural and maritime sectors of our world.

Jolee Hastings

Graduation Year: 2024
Hometown: Loda, IL
Concentration: Farm Management
Ambassador Bio: Jolee grew up in a small town north of Champaign. On campus she is involved in many agricultural organizations including the Illini Dairy Club, Sigma Alpha Professional Sorority, and National Agri-Marketing Association.

Will Hensley

Graduation Year: 2025
Hometown: Bushnell, IL
Concentration: Agribusiness Markets & Management
Ambassador Bio: Will is currently a junior in Agribusiness Markets and Management. He grew up on a farm in western Illinois and went to a small high school in Bushnell, Illinois. On campus, he is involved in the Alpha Gamma Rho Fraternity, the College of ACES Student Advancement Committee, and the Campus Honors Program.

Jason Hlavacek

Graduation Year: 2026
Hometown: Oswego, IL
Concentration: Finance in Agribusiness
Ambassador Bio: Jason grew up in a suburb of Chicago, Oswego, and is currently studying Finance in Agribusiness with the hope to go into accounting. On campus, he is involved in the Alpha Gamma Rho Fraternity, and enjoys all Illini sports.

Olivia Holt

Graduation Year: 2025
Hometown: Springfield, IL
Concentration: Financial Planning
Ambassador Bio: Olivia loves what the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has to offer. She is majoring in Financial Planning and hopes to be a future resource for clients. She is the secretary of the Financial Planning Club on campus.

Madalyn Koster

Graduation Year: 2024
Hometown: Carrollton, IL
Concentration: Finance in Agribusiness
Ambassador Bio: Madalyn is an ACE transfer from Food Science and Human Nutrition. She is an active member of the Phi Sigma Sigma sorority on campus. She is excited to interact with all the new ACE students!

Emma Kuhns

Graduation Year: 2024
Hometown: Mason, IL
Concentration: Public Policy and Law
Ambassador Bio: Emma is a junior studying Public Policy and Law. At the university, Emma holds leadership roles in the Collegiate Farm Bureau, College of ACES Student Advancement Committee, and Sigma Alpha Professional Agricultural Sorority. She is also a Jonathan Baldwin Turner Scholar. Following her graduation from the University of Illinois, Emma plans to attend law school in order to work as an agriculture focused attorney throughout her career.

Reagan Kulenkamp

Graduation Year: 2024
Hometown: Carlinville, IL
Concentration: Public Policy and Law
Ambassador Bio: Reagan is a senior in ACE Public Policy and Law. On campus he is involved in Nabor House Fraternity, College of ACES Student Advancement Committee, Campus Honors Program, and Collegiate Farm Bureau. He is also a Student Advisor for Agriculture Future of America. In his free time he enjoys attending Illini sporting events and golfing with friends.

Colin Lewis

Graduation Year: 2024
Hometown: Tuscola, IL
Concentration: Consumer Economics and Finance
Ambassador Bio: Colin comes from a small town south of Champaign. He is enthusiastic about the impact the ACES program has on the agricultural world. From the professors to the students, the ACES program is able to create progress on local and global challenges.

Grace May

Graduation Year: 2025
Hometown: Princeton, IL
Concentration: Public Policy and Law
Ambassador Bio: Grace is a junior studying Agricultural and Consumer Economics with a concentration in Public Policy and Law with minors in Business and Political Science. With her degree, she hopes to eventually work in policy development to bring more opportunities to small communities like the one she grew up in. When she is not studying or working in Soybean Research for the Department of Crop Sciences, she can be found doing one of her numerous ADHD-developed hobbies or cheering on the Illini at a sporting event.

Callie McAdams

Graduation Year: 2026
Hometown: Carrollton, IL
Concentration: Environmental Economics and Policy
Ambassador Bio: Callie is currently a sophomore studying Environmental Economics and Policy. She is a member of Alpha Gamma Delta sorority where she serves as Vice President of Academic Excellence. She enjoys running, spending time with friends, and being outdoors.

Olivia Messerges

Graduation Year: 2024
Hometown: Schaumburg, IL
Concentration: Environmental Economics and Policy
Ambassador Bio: Olivia is a senior in ACE Environmental Economics and Policy with minors in Legal Studies and Sustainability, Energy, and Environment. In addition to being an ACE ambassador, Olivia works with the Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment and the Prairie Research Institute. She is also a member of the Pre-Law Honors Society and a frequent volunteer with Project for Less. She is excited to work with all prospective students, especially transfer students!

Kate Miller

Graduation Year: 2025
Hometown: Macedonia, IL
Concentration: Agricultural Accounting
Ambassador Bio: Kate is a junior majoring in ACE with a concentration in Agricultural Accounting. She is a member of the 4-H House Cooperative Sorority, Collegiate Farm Bureau, and ACES Council. She is beyond happy to be able to call the University of Illinois home!

Sara Poletti

Graduation Year: 2026
Hometown: Jerseyville, IL
Concentration: Agribusiness Markets & Management
Ambassador Bio: Due to her involvement in FFA during high school, Sara is very passionate about the agriculture industry. She is a sophomore majoring in ACE with a concentration in Agribusiness Markets and Management and a minor in International Development Economics. Sara is a member of Collegiate Farm Bureau and Student Advancement Committee, and serves as Ag in the Classroom Co-chair for Sigma Alpha Professional Agriculture Sorority.

Ivylisse Ramirez

Graduation Year: 2023
Hometown: Chicago, IL
Concentration: Public Policy and Law
Ambassador Bio: Ivy is a senior studying Public Policy and Law. She is a member of the Illinois Trial Team where her passion for advocating for others started. Post graduation, she plans on attending law school to further her passion for advocacy.

Gavin Roegge

Graduation Year: 2025
Hometown: Jacksonville, IL
Concentration: Public Policy and Law
Ambassador Bio: Gavin grew up in Jacksonville, IL and is currently a sophomore concentrating in Public Policy and Law. He is currently serving as the Recruitment Chair of Alpha Gamma Rho.

Nate Scranton

Graduation Year: 2026
Hometown: Pittsfield, IL
Concentration: Finance in Agribusiness
Ambassador Bio: Nate grew up in a small town in western Illinois and has a love for sports. At the university, he is a member of the Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity and loves spending time with friends and meeting new people. I-L-L!

Patrick Wiemers

Graduation Year: 2025
Hometown: Alton, IL
Concentration: Agribusiness Markets & Management
Ambassador Bio: Patrick is a junior studying Agribusiness Markets & Management in the College of ACES. He resides in southern Illinois, where his family has a small farm. During his free time, Patrick enjoys the outdoors, working, golfing, and socializing with friends. He looks forward to working with the ACES faculty and new students!