Anjali Patel '19
When Anjali Patel ’19 transferred to Illinois College as a first-year student, she wanted the ability to explore her passions in a diverse community.
The business administration - management major immediately jumped into a service-learning project and connected with faculty-mentors. When Anjali became an intern for the Student Activities Board, she started working, with the guidance of her advisor, to bring a new cultural experience to campus. Over the course of a semester, she planned, organized and executed IC’s first Festival of Holi, a traditional festival celebrated in India. The event brought students together on campus for a unique cultural experience and gave Patel real-world experience managing an event from inception to execution.
This fall Anjali will continue her educational journey at Illinois State University where she will pursue a master’s degree in communication. She said that being supported and invested in by every corner of the IC community has given her confidence and skills to Graduate READY for the future.
“At Illinois College, I have had many incredible opportunities to gain hands-on experience. Being a leader on campus and involved in various student organizations has taught me countless skills that I will use in the future — navigating large group discussions, resolving group conflicts, problem solving, coordinating events, meeting assigned deadlines, and how to engage in mature dialogue with agencies, faculty and advisors.”