If I could describe my three years in college thus far, I would more than likely describe them as truly life-changing. It sounds corny I know, but there is no other word that best fits how much I've grown and progressed especially through the College of ACES. I remember my freshman year as an ACE student, I wondered what type of person I would grow to be, and what kind of changes I could implement for the purpose of inspiring others while also changing myself for the better.

The department of ACE has been a great stepping stone for me growing both professionally and personally. Whether it has been through my classes or just the incredible opportunities the college has provided me with, I have been able to challenge and test myself far beyond my reasonable expectations. If someone had told me my freshman year that I would become an ambassador within my department, I would have quickly shunned it off in disbelief. Yet, as I write this blog as an ACE Ambassador, I still find myself amazed as to how I’ve come so far; I owe it all to the wonderful people who believed in me when I didn’t even believe in myself.

Although I have been given this amazing chance to represent my college and my department, there is still an immense amount of learning and growing that I still need to do before my days here at the U of I are done. I’m excited to see what each day has to bring and how I will conquer each challenge that lies ahead of me in the near future.