Graduate Ready | Illinois College

Graduate READY is more than just a catchy phrase — it’s a promise we make to you and your family.

Access to faculty experts and mentors, small class sizes, a multi-faceted approach to academics, and hands-on learning will prepare you with the skills to succeed in any 21st-century career. Check out the stories below to learn more about how IC students are Graduating READY.

Sabrian Brownlee '19,

Art

"Sabrian Brownlee ’19 loves that Illinois College provides students an inclusive community where he felt free to be his true self. "

Tyler Adams '17,

Communication

"Nathan Tyler Adams `17 came to Illinois College because he loved the campus and wanted to be a part of the impressive football program."

Akua Biaa Adu '20,

Biology & Computer Science

"Akua Biaa Adu `20 was surprised when an Illinois College staff member showed up to sit with her at the hospital after she fell ill and again when a professor invited her to Christmas Eve at her home. "

Uchenna Ani '18,

"Uchenna Ani ’18 said one of her favorite experiences at Illinois College has been working on student-faculty research. "

Adwoa Anima Addo '19,

"Before she came to Illinois College, Adwoa Anima Addo ’19 never considered herself a writer, philosopher or creative thinker. "

Shania Bacon '18,

"Shania Bacon ’18 chose Illinois College to launch her career in nursing because she wanted a college where her professors would take the time to understand her goals and work with her to achieve them.
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Anna Broadbooks '23,

Nursing

"“My internships helped me get hands-on experience, as well as a job after graduation.”"

Marshall Brown '22,

"For Marshall Brown ’22, IC helped broaden his horizons and helped him become a better farmer for the future — more eco-friendly, economical and the best he can be. "

Lindsay Bruce '19,

"Lindsay Bruce ’19 is passionate about chemistry, but she also loves that at Illinois College she was able to expand her horizons. "

Dominic Caldieraro '20,

"Dominic Caldieraro ’20 has undoubtedly grown from the many hands-on experiences he’s had during his four years at Illinois College. "

Caroline Casler '20,

Agribusiness

"Caroline Casler ’20 had many unexpected turns in her journey to earn a degree in agribusiness — the first was that she ended up at Illinois College. "

Nathan Chilton '19,

"When Nathan Chilton ’19 made the decision to switch his profession from construction to elementary education, he knew Illinois College was the best place to launch his new career. "

Sarah Christian '19,

"Sarah Christian ’19 officially earned her Illinois College degree in biology, but that didn’t stop her from having hands-on learning opportunities across several departments."

Tamara Coleman '18,

"Until she had the opportunity to study abroad in Japan during her junior year, Illinois College was the furthest that Tamara Coleman '18 had ever traveled from her hometown of Chicago, Illinois"

Patrick Combs '22,

Chemistry

"For Patrick Combs ’22, his Illinois College experience was all about the connections he made with professors and the hands-on learning he gained in and out of the classroom."

Lanette Davis '2018,

"When Lanette Davis ’18 describes the journey that has led her to walking across the stage to receive her diploma in a couple of weeks, she characterizes her story as unique. "

Rachel Donaldson '18,

"Rachel Donaldson `18 has made an impact on the community while gaining hands-on professional experience at IC. "

Karina Donayre '19,

"For Karina Donayre ’19, a political science and international studies major, some of the most meaningful experiences of her college career were gained through experiential learning while doing community service. "

Sabrina Doyle '20,

"At Illinois College, Sabrina Doyle ’20 fell in love with research."

Gabrielle Esparza '16,

"When Gabrielle Esparza ’16 graduated from IC, she was ready to jump into the next chapter of her life right away. "

Lauren Estes '19,

"Lauren Estes ’19, says the ability to work closely with faculty through research as well as partake in an exciting internship led her to realize her future aspirations. "

Alyssa Garde '17,

"Alyssa Garde `17 said her decision to transfer to IC gave her the opportunity to get involved and opened many doors for her future. "

Josie Garfat '20,

"Josie Garfat ’20 chose Illinois College because she liked the small, student-centered campus, and the fact that her education could extend around the world. "

Jessica Grammer '18,

"Jessica Grammer `18, says that coming to IC was an opportunity to find her own place. "

Eric Hammitt '18,

"Eric Hammitt `18 has learned a lot about himself living on campus for the last three years. "

Ka-La Harris '19,

"Ka-La Harris ’19 says her time at Illinois College taught her to embrace new experiences."

Amanda Henton '16,

"As a student, Amanda Henton was able to take a diverse range of courses in psychology, biology and music that led her to pursue an exciting career in neuroscience. "

Sydney Himmelman '21,

"After graduation, Sydney Himmelman ’21 was back in the classroom ⁠— fulfilling her goal of becoming a math teacher."

Erin Hodgson '17,

"Erin Hodgson ’17 says having the ability to research and speak effectively in public gave her the confidence to pursue a career in law. "

Allyson Huffman '22,

Education

"Allyson Huffman ’22 wants to make a difference in the classroom and beyond."

Samantha Hurst '19,

"Samantha Hurst ’19 knew Illinois College was the best choice for her the first time she stepped foot on the beautiful campus. "

Anni Ibberson '21,

"“I chose IC because I wanted a learning community that felt like home. I wanted to be close with my professors and be involved in as many clubs, activities and internships as possible. IC is a small campus that offers great classroom and lab sizes, but also provides students with any experiences that they may need to be ready for their career.”"

Arshia JafarNia '19,

"When Arshia JafarNia `19 made her first visit to Illinois College as a high school student, she knew she wanted to be a part of everything she saw happening on campus. "

Alexa Jardenil '20,

Biology

"Before commencement marked the formal end of her undergraduate career, Alexa Jardenil ’20 was already working in a lab as a molecular biologist, something she credits to the Illinois College biology department."

Aja’ Johnson '19,

"Aja’ Johnson ’19 says she was able to combine her passion with her future career goals by double majoring in art and business. "

Ellie Johnson '17,

"Ellie Johnson `17 knew that IC’s top biology program would prepare her for a future career she hopes to have working in physical therapy, but she was surprised at how much her experiences outside of the lab prepared her. "

Abbey Keller '20,

Health Sciences, Psychology

"When first-generation student Abbey Keller ’20 visited Illinois College for the first time, her dad asked her if she could see herself studying there."

Jasaun King '21,

Communication and Rhetorical Studies

"“I chose IC because of the environment that I experienced when I first visited campus. Everyone was really friendly and made me feel comfortable. It didn't seem like I was going somewhere new, but rather it felt like I had already been there before.”"

Sean Kisch '18,

"During his time at IC, Sean Kisch `18 has made the most of his college experiences inside and outside of the classroom. "

Erica Larson '19,

"For Erica Larson ’19, a biology major, the experiences at IC that helped develop her leadership skills were among the most valuable parts of her Illinois College journey. "

Mesfin Lenth '17,

Business Administration

"Mesfin Lenth ’17 decided to take a closer look at Illinois College after learning about the many scholarship opportunities available. "

Scarlett Lin Latt '18,

"Scarlett Lin Latt `18 found the most unique aspect of her education at Illinois College to be the large number of leadership opportunities available to all students. "

Connor Melton '18,

"For Connor Melton '18, his journey at Illinois College has been all about building relationships — both on campus and around the world. "

Lauren Mense '17,

"Lauren Mense '17, management and organizational leadership major, took advantage of the many opportunities offered at IC. "

Brooke Metzger '20,

"For Brooke Metzger ’20, four years at Illinois College was about more than just what happened in the classroom."

Chas Monge '19,

"During his four years at Illinois College, Chas Monge '19 accomplished a lot. "

Nick Montrey '19,

"Nick Montrey ’19 was involved on campus as a member of student senate, a student tutor as well as playing on the football team for a time."

Mikaela Morrison '19,

"Mikaela Morrison ’19 found her place as a leader during her time at IC.
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Chris Morton '18,

"Growing up in St. Louis, Christopher Morton ’18 says serving the community was always a big part of his life. Having the ability to pursue his passion for service while exploring his interests in the classroom made Illinois College the perfect fit. "

Michael Niederbrach '18,

"At Illinois College, Michael Niederbrach `18 has found a welcoming community and the resources he needs to Graduate READY for a career in medicine. "

Brett Palmer '19,

"Brett Palmer ’19 believes that loving what you do will help you succeed in any career."

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."

Sergio Peña '21,

"The experience of conducting research with faculty mentors helped Sergio Peña ’21 envision and go after his goals."

Lisset Perez Carapia '19,

"Lisset Perez Carapia ’19, believes the research opportunities IC provided fueled her love for science. "

Hailey Phillips '19,

"Hailey Phillips ’19 used her time abroad in Europe to explore different species of animals inspiring her future career working in zoos. "

Kourtney Pollitt '22,

"As a first-generation college student, Kourtney Pollitt ’22 learned a lot about herself as she grew through her undergraduate education. Her Illinois College community made it easy to find an answer to any question she had — guiding her through her major and into a career in state government."

Megan Price '21,

"Megan Price ’21 wants to practice primary care in a rural community, something she’s on her way to accomplishing as a student in the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Rockford Rural Medical Education Program."

Hope Quarles '17,

"When Hope Quarles ‘17 auditioned at Illinois College, she quickly fell in love with the music department and couldn’t wait to start working toward her longtime dream of becoming a vocalist."

Amber Rak '18,

"Amber Rak ’18 knew that Illinois College was the school for her after her first visit — she immediately felt welcomed and at home."

Ariel Rhoades '21,

"Even though Illinois College had always been a part of her life, it wasn’t until after her first official campus tour that Ariel Rhoades ’21 knew for sure that she had to apply."

JD Roesch '19,

"From winning honors on the football field to studying bats in a remote underground cave in western Cuba, JD Roesch ’19 made the most of his time at Illinois College. "

Ashleigh Rosencrans '19,

"Ashleigh Rosencrans ’19 got the opportunity to apply the concepts in her majors to the community of Jacksonville through experiential learning and service."

Nicholas Roth '18,

"Nicholas Roth '18 is grateful that he has experienced so much at Illinois College that will prepare him for a future career as a doctor or surgeon. "

Sophia Roth '22,

"Sophia Roth ’22 chose IC because she knew it was the right place to help her achieve her ultimate goal of becoming a physical therapist."

Meghan Ruyle '19,

"During her time at Illinois College, Meghan Ruyle ’19 worked with faculty to create a customized plan of study in order to launch a career she is passionate about pursuing. "

Caleb Rybolt '19,

"Each year one student from Illinois College’s graduating class is named valedictorian in recognition of their pursuit of academic excellence."

Rolando Salazar '19,

"Rolando Salazar ’19 was attracted to IC because it gave him the opportunity to be a student-athlete while actively participating in the communities on campus and around the world."

Katelyn Scott '22,

Psychology

"The minute she first stepped on campus, Katelyn Scott ’22 knew IC was the right place for her to pursue a degree in psychology."

Rachel Sefah '19,

"After her first visit to IC, Rachel Sefah ’19 fell in love with the IC experience — from the beautiful facilities and vibrant community to the diversity of classes. "

McKenna Servis '22,

"McKenna Servis ’22 took the skills she learned in the classroom right into the real world while at IC."

Alan Shawgo '18,

"Alan Shawgo ’18 doesn’t have an official job title to describe the role he will take at St. Louis based company, Route 3 Films after graduation, but he likes to refer to himself as a “storyteller.”"

Logan Shippert '17,

"Logan Shippert '17 spent the spring break of his junior year in the Colorado Rocky Mountains, learning research field methods with hands-on practice. "

Isaiah Smith '20,

"After graduation, Isaiah Smith ’20 followed a path he discovered at IC and began his career in government. "

Emma Stuhmer '17,

"Emma Stuhmer ’17 started Illinois College as a biology major, but her experiences with student-faculty research and the opportunity to work with state-of-the-art equipment ignited her passion for another subject: forensic chemistry. "

Anne Sunther '18,

"Travel has always been a part of life for Anne-Emmanuelle Sunther `17. "

Kaitlin Thompson Houser '19,

"For Kaitlin Thompson Houser ’19, an internship at DOT foods turned into a job in human resources immediately after graduation.
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Emily Titsworth '19,

"Coming from a rural, small-town high school, Emily Titsworth ’19 knew that Illinois College was the perfect place for her."

Kayla Ward '19,

"Kayla Ward ’19 certainly experienced the perks of a liberal arts education as she earned her degree, but she says there is so much more to learn at Illinois College than what is taught in the classrooms. "

Andy Webb '17,

"When Andy Webb ’17 was 14 years old, he got his first glimpse of what it meant to be an entrepreneur by working in his grandpa’s restaurant. "

Lucy Wubker '22,

Nursing

"When Lucy Wubker ’22 was deciding on a college, she knew she wanted to go somewhere that was small-scale and personable."

Where you are guaranteed to graduate ready.

Graduate READY is more than just a catchy phrase — it's a promise we make to you and your parents. Access to expert faculty-mentors, small class sizes, global experiences, hands-on learning and an innovative approach to academics will prepare you with the skills to succeed in any 21st-century career. Our alumni are proving the value of an Illinois College education, with nearly 100% employed or in graduate school within a year of earning their degree from IC.

The Graduate Ready Promise

Graduate READY is more than just a catchy phrase — it’s a promise we make to you and your family.

Where you are guaranteed to graduate ready.