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Voices of ACES Blog

Learning about Food Policy in California

Eli Clausen

After being at the University of Illinois for over three years, my time here is coming to an end. I have been very fortunate to be able to spend most of that time in ACES. In the ACE program, I have discovered many great friends, activities, and professors. The staff  are here to help you, and definitely take the time to know the students. It's a great feeling knowing that you are much more than a number and mean something to your department.

While taking a class on contemporary issues in my field last semester, I heard about a program offered in the spring that is based on a trip to California. Naturally, I was interested and looked more into it. The title of the course is Farm, Food, and Environmental Policy, and I am  looking forward to traveling with my fellow students in a month or so to San Francisco and Sacramento. This is just one of many unique classes offered by ACE, which brings me to another point. In ACE, there are so many directions that you can take that it actually becomes an experience tailored to individual students. Yes, there are requirements for your concentration, but you can take any other courses in the major that you want to. In my case, I am focusing in Environmental Economics and Policy, but I have also taken classes based on agriculture that fit my interests. All in all, I am glad that I came to ACE, as it has shaped my academic experience in quite an amazing way.