Student Testimonials: I chose Illinois because...

Andrea Kunze - CSTL division 
Advisor: Jennifer Cromley

"I chose Illinois because of the opportunities for self-growth that the University of Illinois brings. As a graduate student in Educational Psychology, faculty have helped support my own thinking and research through interdisciplinary perspectives in coursework and research opportunities across many departments. The chance to work collaboratively with multiple innovative faculty, peers, and ideas has meant more opportunity to develop my own research interests, individuality, and academic career, and is why I chose Illinois."

Sherry Yi - CSTL division
Advisor: H. Chad Lane

“The opportunity to conduct research on the intersection between education and technology has been a great challenge and I’ve found all my experiences to be rewarding. All of the faculty members show that they care about your growth as both student and as an individual – I wish all learning environments could emulate what we have at Illinois. With the expansion of programs like DELTA and TIER-ED, which both focus on education and technology, it’s an exciting time to be a part of EPSY and CSTL.”

Yang Du - CSTL & Queries divisions
Advisor: Jennifer Cromley

"I chose Illinois because of the strong support of faculty members and the various opportunities of across-department collaborations. The best scenery of Illinois is not the statue of Alma Mater or the main quad, but its people here! The professors at Illinois are so willing to share their ideas with students, providing all kinds of possible research or teaching opportunities for students to grow and polish their skills. The opportunities of working with open-minded and innovative professors and peers have greatly developed my research insights, my personality, and my career. These are exactly the reasons why I chose Illinois."

Mingqi Hu - Queries division
Advisor: Jinming Zhang

"I chose Illinois because of the great atmosphere of research and high quality of teaching. To work with our inspirational and open-minded professors is beneficial for my research and personal development. Also, I am from QUERIES division and I really enjoy my TA work here because I can help students from a variety of programs learn applied statistics and data analysis approaches."

Onur Demirkaya - Queries division
Advisor: Jinming Zhang

“I chose UIUC because of academic opportunities that it provides. It has a great program of study with highly esteemed professors. It is recognized as a top-ranked school world-wide. Interdisciplinary approach in researches and program of studies fully prepare you for your academic career. As an international graduate student in QUERIES division, I can say that cultural diversity in the campus not only create friendly and welcoming environment but also give a chance to experience many cultures and to become international advocates in your own field.”

Sanchari Banerjee - Developmental Sciences division
Advisor: Kristen Bub

"I chose Illinois because of its reputation and ranking, but after getting here, I realized that its added strength lies in how much it invests in its students and their wellbeing. Professors have always been encouraging, have provided guidance without question, and have shown compassion and interest towards my experiences as a graduate student. The diverse environment has been a wonderful place to grow and learn about people’s experiences from different parts of the world, enriching my research (and me) in ways I couldn’t have envisioned had I not come here. "

Jennifer McNeilly - Queries division
Advisor: Jennifer Greene

“As an alumna and current employee, Illinois was the obvious choice when I decided to pursue a PhD.   After developing an interest in Evaluation through a grant I helped to manage, I applied to the QUERIES division of Educational Psychology due, in part, to the strong tradition of Evaluation scholars at Illinois.  As my interests have evolved over the years, the faculty have always been supportive and encouraging.  This atmosphere along with the wide range of research interests and expertise that exist in the department are such a valuable asset to students.  The flexibility and sincere mentorship available in this program really allow us to develop and pursue our individual research interests and career goals.”

Hulya Yigit - Queries division
Advisor: Jinming Zhang

“I chose Illinois because of the opportunities to bridge the worlds of education and other academic disciplines through coursework and research. The opportunity to work with different faculty and students from different departments has helped me broaden my horizon and introduce me to new constructive perspectives to the current problems (which is the focus of my research). I believe that in academia, supportive faculty members are the key points for success. The interactions with different faculty and discussions about the problems in such a supportive environment help spark new ideas and I believe it leads me towards to creative solutions.”

Selim Havan - Queries Division
Advisor: Jinming Zhang

"I chose Illinois because of the educational environment that provides research opportunities to work closely alongside inspiring faculty. Illinois gives you the chance to work closely with professors from your department and develop a high level of expertise in both theoretical and empirical principles and methods in quantitative methods. University of Illinois is a perfect fit for professional educational researchers to have an impact and shape research in this field. Beyond academics, UofI campus life offers many ways to get involved and be active, from state of the art sports facilities, to musical events at the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts."