As a senior with graduation around the corner, looking back at the different ways ACE has prepared for the future is incredible. Being able to partake in three different internships over the past three summers with top name companies in the agriculture industry were all incredible opportunities. These experiences would not have been possible if I had not of made the great decision to major in Agricultural and Consumer Economics. The people I have met and the connections I have gained have opened many opportunities for the future.

One of the reasons why the University of Illinois is so renowned are the opportunities available to build the perfect skill-sets for your professional future. The courses in ACE adequately prepare you for technical job applications and work demands. ACE 222 and 428 provides an excellent introduction into trading, commodities, futures, options, and hedging. We have guest speakers come to class and lecture about the influential aspects of these trading tools in their businesses.

I recently had the opportunity to travel to San Francisco over spring break as a part of my class ACE 199 Farm, Food, and Environmental Policy. This course focuses on agricultural policy issues in California, many of which are currently not concerns for farmers here in the Midwest. Many people, whether you grew up around agriculture or not, fail to realize that California is the largest agricultural state in the United States. In fact, if California were its own country, it would have the 7th largest economy in the world.

[From the ACE 199 "Farm, Food & Environmental Policy" experiential learning study tour, spring break 2015]

[From the ACE 199 "Farm, Food & Environmental Policy" experiential learning study tour, spring break 2015]

[From the ACE 199 "Farm, Food & Environmental Policy" experiential learning study tour, spring break 2015]

[From the ACE 199 "Farm, Food & Environmental Policy" experiential learning study tour, spring break 2015]

Today our class visited with institutions that demonstrated both the seriousness and complexity of food insecurity in the Bay Area. The Alameda County Community Food Bank is an example of a local outreach organization that utilizes community participation to fight food insecurity. We were given an extensive tour of the facility and were presented with statistics about the people the food bank serves.

[From the ACE 199 "Farm, Food & Environmental Policy" experiential learning study tour, spring break 2015]

At the University of Illinois, the opportunities are endless. I found this out when I took part in the International Business Immersion Program that traveled to China this past summer. This experience was so life changing that I knew I wanted to participate in more programs like IBIP at the University of Illinois.

Ever think about studying abroad?  ACE has some terrific study abroad programs that send people to cool places around the world.  Want to see Europe? Africa? South America? Asia?  We’ve got a program for you.  I am currently enrolled in a program called IBIP (International Business Immersion Program) through ACE.  We focus on agriculture business concepts in a European setting.  In May, we are taking a 15-day trip to Greece, The Netherlands, and Belgium.