Our second full day consisted of meetings with companies focused on consumer preferences and food distribution. Our first visit was with Brazil's largest outdoor food and flower market, CAEGESP.  The presenters showed us a short video and asked if we had any questions which were translated from English to Portuguese.  

Bom dia!

“When we wake up in the morning, we will be in Brazil,” seemed to be said by multiple people in the group last night as we waited for the 11 hour plane ride to start. We were all anxious and extremely excited for our journey to begin. Once the plane took off, it seemed like no time until we were waking up the next morning to a voice saying that we would be landing in Brazil in an hour. Okay, so it wasn’t actually that simple. The plane ride seemed long to many of our group members that couldn’t seem to fall asleep. Eventually, we did land safely in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

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.

I remember when I first came to the University of Illinois, I was determined to get the best grades and leave with a 4.0 GPA. Unfortunately, that wasn't in the cards for me. I know several people that have outstanding GPA's, but I had a rough first semester that brought my average down. The rest of my sophomore and junior years I worked hard and took "easy" courses to bring my grade average back up. Granted this looked good on my resume, but I wasn't taking classes that peaked my interest.

“What are you doing after graduation?”  I feel like I get asked that almost every day now that graduation is just a month away.  My answer: I get to help clients live great lives.  As a financial planner, I will help clients reach their personal goals through managing their finances.  Financial planners provide advice on investments, insurance, estate planning, taxes and more.

Whether you are a basketball fan or not, March Madness is upon us. And there is just as much going on in the ACE Department to keep our students, staff, and prospective students busy! Last month, future Illini received their admission decisions, and ACE Ambassadors have been busy taking them on campus tours, and calling prospective students. We are so excited to have the next generation of Illini in the Fall of 2016. Another big event at the end of February was the ACE Financial Planning Hiring Conference.

As a soon to be a graduate of the University of Illinois, reflecting back on my four years as an ACE major and the variety of ways that the department has prepared me for the future is fantastic. Being able to hold multiple internships, network with professionals, and learn from the brightest minds in Agriculture has helped expand my knowledge and passion for developing myself professionally.

ACE Professor, Dr. Brenna Ellison, has been advising a team of ACE students competing in the National Grocers’ Association Student Case Study Competition in Las Vegas. For the case competition this year, student teams were expected to develop a successful e-commerce model for a small independent grocer based out of Utah. The competition required the students to identify key target markets for e-commerce, select an appropriate platform for online shopping, and develop effective marketing strategies to promote the new e-commerce solution.

This past winter break, I had the experience of a lifetime as an ACES student studying abroad in Cape Town, South Africa. The study tour was full of service learning at an agricultural work site, tourism, and immersing ourselves into the culture. Our volunteer site was at a community garden. It is a township effort where certain members are allotted to individual plots where they can produce sustainable, organic foods. Locals are encouraged to get involved to feed their families and for expansion purposes.