My name is Courtney Poffenberger and I am a senior in ACE with a concentration of Finance in Agribusiness, but this is not where I pictured myself at the beginning of college.  I came into the University of Illinois as an Education major and at that point in time I thought I had my whole life planned out.  I imagined graduating with a degree from the College of Education and then subsequently finding a job that I would have until retirement, but after my first semester, I knew that wasn’t the life I wanted.  I started to explore other options, but I had no idea there were so many possibilities offered on this campus.

I come from a farm background, and hearing about the College of ACES caught my attention.  After reading about the ACE major and the wide variety of classes that were offered, I knew that I could find something to meet my interests.  Through further research and thinking about the future, I knew that ACE was the place I wanted to be.  The transition went well with the help of the ACE advisors and staff and after my first semester in the major, I knew that I had made the right decision in transferring.  I enjoyed the classes and I especially liked hearing about the job opportunities that were available for after graduation.

Looking back, I would not have changed anything.  Transferring to ACE was one of the best things that I could have done in my college career.  From the helpful ACE staff, to the array of courses, anyone can prosper in ACE.  I would not have gotten through the process without the help of advisors and they are still helpful as I approach graduation and try to answer any questions that I may have.  The courses throughout ACE have also helped me decide the path I want to take after graduation.  I also know that I can take the information I have learned and use it in my future career and it helps when you are learning from some of the top professors in their field.  This major also offers a variety of clubs and organizations to try and help students get involved and network.  In my mind, I could not have made a better decision and I could not be more grateful for all of the experiences that I have been able to have while in ACE.