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Grad school guaranteed

Getting into grad school as a freshman in college.

Tammy studied pharmacy at UIC.

At UIC, motivated freshmen are guaranteed a spot in one of 25 professional degree programs, including medical school.*

When Tammy Nguyen found out about UIC’s Guaranteed Professional Program Admissions (GPPA) as a senior in high school, she sent out one college application.

Total.

She knew she wanted to be a pharmacist and she knew that UIC has one of the best pharmacy schools in the country. Thanks to her strong grades, test scores and accomplishments, she was admitted to UIC as an undergraduate with a guaranteed spot in the UIC College of Pharmacy.

This is a sweet deal.

*Restrictions apply. See gppa.uic.edu for details.

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A broad perspective

An educational journey at home and overseas.

Gaby didn’t want to leave Pilsen when she graduated from high school.

Not everyone can say that their college university was both their second home and passport to the world. Gaby Reno can. 

“I’m really involved in my community and I do a lot of volunteer work with Latino organizations citywide,” said Reno, who studied French and political science at UIC.

For an advocate like her, UIC’s location was convenient because she could attend national conferences in Chicago without having to skip class. As an active member of the Mexican Students of Aztlan, one cultural organization at UIC, she was also able to learn about and help others. At one point, her group co-sponsored an event about borders and exclusion with the Students for Justice in Palestine, another on-campus org. 

She studied abroad, too. With financial help, she was able to go to places like Dakar, Senegal and Paris, France.

“The amazing thing about interacting with people from so many different backgrounds is how much we have in common.” said Reno. 

This is truly a local and global college experience.

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Serious business

Real-world learning. A roadmap to success. 

Jemel is now a senior consultant in Chicago.

At UIC, Jemel Kyles was a leader-in-training. As a sophomore, the former business student became president of the UIC chapter of the National Association of Black Accountants (NABA), a student organization dedicated to bridging the opportunity gap for accounting and finance professionals who are also people of color. 

Leading the group was a big responsibility for him at the time, but it also furthered Jemel’s professional development, allowing him to practice what his business professors preached. “The managerial experience…was insane,” he remembered.

Before he graduated, Kyles also interned at Deloitte and Northern Trust, building what he calls a “professional network” in the city. “There’s no place like UIC,” he said.

This is where leaders are born.

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Live — from Chicago’s campus

Student by day, comic by lunchtime.

Matt is a stand-up comedian and a UIC student.  

For Matt Brown, UIC is an environment for growth.

“UIC gave me a reason to come to Chicago and be where the action is,” said Brown, who is from Springfield, Ill. Now, he’s majoring in sociology and minoring in Spanish—all while pursuing another one of his dreams: being a comic.

At the Laugh Factory, one of the city’s most well-known comedy clubs, he’s a regular act. Brown also performs for stand-up groups like Playground Theatre.

How does he do it all? UIC scholarships help. Last semester, a scholarship from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences helped him afford rent for his off-campus apartment. Thanks to that aid, he was able to focus on other things like homework, exams, freelance writing and his stand-up routines.

“Here, the minute you advocate for yourself, there are 15 people ready to hand you resources,” Brown said.

This is the potential to do more.

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Cultivating potential

Campus community helps student get ahead.

Michelle studied medicine at UIC.

Michelle Latting was one of more than 20,000 undergraduate students during her time at UIC, but oftentimes, Letting felt like the whole place was designed exclusively to help her become a surgeon.

How?

There was the President’s Award Program that gave her thousands a year in scholarships for underrepresented students. (UIC Pro-tip: apply early and to the Honors College for maximum consideration for scholarships.) And her advisor helped her select courses to develop different global perspectives in health care, law, business, education and journalism.

Then there were the people—the Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the physics professor mentor, the staff members in the Medicina Scholars office—who not only knew Latting by name, but made it their personal responsibility to help her achieve her dreams.

This is a team effort.

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Ditch the plan. Follow your passion.

An unexpected major makes major impacts.

Harish is a UIC graduate and deputy director for New America Chicago.

Harish Patel applied for college intending to become a doctor. “I was trying to figure out how I wanted to add value to the world,” he said. UIC helped him pursue that dream in another way.

Changing his major and career path, Patel started Chicago Votes, coordinated programs for the Jane Addams Hull-House and taught a seminar on Youth Engagement in a Globalized World as a student. Eventually, he became an advocate for farming communities in India, too.

Now, he continues to do work in civic engagement and public policy arenas, getting youth involved in changing Chicago and Illinois. Patel’s commitment has even impressed former President Barack Obama, earning Patel an invitation to speak with Obama on a panel last April.

“Public universities produce amazing people, amazing leaders,” he said. “I don’t believe that I’m unique in my desire to make change here at UIC,” said Patel.  

This is a chance to study what you love—and make it count.

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A move for more

An international student’s story. 

Kirti is now a graduate student at Northwestern University. Photo from Study in the USA. 

Kirti Kewalramani grew up in the bustling city of Bangkok. But when she moved to Chicago, she was still overwhelmed by the sights and sounds of the city.

"I thought my biggest accomplishment was just getting to the UIC campus," she said. "Looking back, I realize that it was just the beginning of endless opportunities ahead."

At UIC, she majored in political science and joined the Delta Xi Phi Multicultural Sorority, which she became vice president for. Both experiences led her to champion causes that support women’s advancement through higher ed and increase multicutural awareness. She also interned with the Illinois Senate Democratic Victory Fund, an opportunity that she discovered through UIC Careers. 

Those opportunities allowed her to eventually work on the election campaign for Senator Tom Cullerton.

“The journey to Chicago transformed me from a wide-eyed freshman into an experienced political staffer,” Kirti said. “I still have a long way to go, but UIC has opened new opportunities and moved my career in the right direction.”

This is a journey to a bright future. 

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We are UIC

These are our students’ stories. Get ready for your own.

What opportunities does the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) offer? The possibilities are endless. Every day here opens doors, inspires ideas and exposes people to new perspectives.

Where’s the proof? In our profiles. We’ve put together some stories about our students and alumni that we’ll share with you. 

This is what a transformative education looks like. 

This is UIC.