Before the spring semester of my freshman year at UIUC, I received an email inviting me to apply for the James Scholar program. I told my roommate Allie at the time about it and she encouraged me to apply as she was in the James Scholar program in her college and how there are a […]
I Wasn’t Interested in Research – Until I Was!
When I started on campus my freshman year, I swore that I would never get involved in campus research. Many times, when people hear the word research, they picture white lab coats and test tubes. I did not think that is what I wanted to do. While some research on campus involves these items, it […]
HDFS and Pre-Law
I initially did not apply to be an HDFS major. The summer after my senior year of high school, Diana Rodriguez, the Chicago recruiter for the College of ACES, told me that I would love the HDFS department and consider switching my major. I remember being hesitant to change my major so early in my […]
How I Use HDFS in All Aspects of Life
For me, as a 37-year-old nontraditional student, I can say that I absolutely use concepts and ideas I have gleaned from HDFS in my life. Of course, there are theoretical concepts that could probably be applied to various aspects of life, but I am talking more about the welcoming, considerate, interpersonal framework that underlies nearly […]
Applying Classroom Learning to Real-World Issues
My favorite HDFS class is HDFS 220: Families in Global Perspective. At first, I wasn’t for sure how much I would enjoy the class because I had never taken a global studies course. As the class resumed, I was enjoying class more and more. We were exploring a variety of factors that affect families in […]
My Instructors Kept Me Engaged
My name is Chloe Graham, and I am a Sophomore in HDFS here at the U of I. I’ve enjoyed all of the HDFS classes I’ve taken so far, but my favorite has been HDFS 220: Families in Global Perspective. During the second semester of my freshman year, I took this class with Dr. Karen […]
HDFS Was the Right Fit for Me
When applying and being accepted here at the University of Illinois with a mathematics degree, I intended to become a high school math teacher. After my first semester here, it was clear that while I still enjoy math, it was not my love for math that led me to choose that major, but it was […]
Choosing My Path in HDFS
I was in HDFS as an incoming freshman so I had plenty of time to think about what my concentration should be. I changed my career goals three times during the first few semesters. First, I was interested in nursing and wanted to be a nurse at a children’s hospital; then I changed my mind […]
HDFS @ the U of I
There is no department that compares to Human Development and Family Studies (HDFS) at the University of Illinois. HDFS helped me succeed in my goals by giving me a place on campus where I feel comfortable being myself. Instantly, HDFS became a home away from home. By having such a close-knit group of faculty, staff, […]