As a campus tour guide, I often have the opportunity to meet with a wide variety of campus visitors including prospective students and their families, university faculty, and guests. I greatly look forward to answering any questions that visitors may have. After a campus-wide tour of learning the ins and outs of our university guests often have many unique questions about our campus. I often receive as many questions about my major within the Department of ACE, transferring from a community college program, and life as a double major.

From prospective student parents, just this week I received the question, "So how many times does your professor teach your classes" and I gladly responded, "Almost always, but my teacher was gone this past week providing input in Washington, D.C. for the U.S. Farm Bill."

When I said that last part out loud, I immediately thought, "That's such a cool activity that my professor takes part in" But then it dawned on me, how many students can say that their teacher helps research proponents for the U.S. Farm Bill or directly works internationally with USAID? Welcome to the Department of ACE.

Joining the Department of ACE within the University of Illinois College of ACES is a life-impacting experience. As students, within our department of ACE, we are surrounded by cutting edge technology and research as well as world-renowned faculty and staff. Professors are readily available to students through office hours, class time, and scheduled meetings. Research and collaboration are a large part our department. Be it within a classroom setting or through an ACE 293 internship, the possibilities are endless.

As a department within the College of ACES, we have the many benefits of being able to take courses within the other departments as well as double major. As a current double-major within the Department of ACE and Department of Agriculture Education, I bring a unique perspective. I greatly enjoy being able to focus on international trade and policy through my ACE courses and then being able to educate others on these topics through my agriculture leadership education classes.

Being a part of the Department of ACE has proven to be a catalyst for many of my peers in regards to their future careers. Embracing the many opportunities provided by the Department of ACE has been a great benefit to attending the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.