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.

Hey Theresa,

Hope all is well over there on the farm!  Everything is still pretty awesome except I have a little speed bump in Madrid two weekends ago.

Jemand hat miene handy und Studierendenausweis gestohlen im Madrid.

University of Illinois students have the unique opportunity to participate in the merging of science and research with industry through internships at UI Research Park.  In two areas of our department:  Consumer Economics/Financial Planning as well as Agribusiness, ACE students get involved as interns working for companies such as State Farm in researching use of insurance and financial products by their organization.  A new venture in agribusiness, led by ACE alum Lucas Frye, is making strides bringing a San Francisco business to the Midwest.

This year how ACE stood out to me was the career advice and opportunities they were able to offer me. I came into this year not sure what I was going to do after graduation; I wasn’t even sure which field I wanted to go into. Luckily, I was able to find some help within ACES, especially the ACE 341 career opportunities class. This class opened my eyes to what I could do with my degree and how others have used it.  It was helpful to see the different paths and industries that other graduates were able to get into with a CEF degree.

As you have heard from many of my fellow bloggers, ACE is a wonderful major.  The opportunities seem endless and getting an Agricultural & Consumer Economics degree at the University of Illinois will set you apart and put you on a path towards success.  

Guten Tag Theresa!

Ich bin haben sehr gut Zeit.

The ACE department within the College of ACES presents many opportunities to their students year in and year out. Last year, I was fortunate enough enroll in a class that compared agricultural practices and policies in the Midwest and the West Coast. The class, taught by Dr. Scholl and Jessa Barnard, was capped off with a trip to California over spring break that enabled us to experience agriculture there first-hand.

Molweni, ninjani? That translates to “Hello, how are you?” in the Xhosa language. This past winter break, I had the opportunity to travel abroad through the College of ACES to Cape Town, South Africa for three weeks. I found out I was accepted into the program in April of last spring semester, and I did not know how I was going to wait eight months until the experience of a lifetime.