The Class of 2015
On Saturday, May 16, the College of Applied Health Sciences awarded more than 800 bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in convocation ceremonies at Huff Hall. Here are some of the students who have joined the ranks of alumni of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Marilyn Adibu
Marilyn received her master’s degree in Community Health, with a focus on Health Policy and Administration. She will pursue a professional position in a non-profit hospital, and has an ultimate career goal of becoming CEO of a healthcare organization. She also plans to complete a Ph.D. in Health Administration in the future. A member of the McKinley Health Center Student Advisory Board, she received the Cathie L. Brock Memorial Scholarship and Floyd and Etta McAfee Award.
“I will truly miss mentoring students, the faculty that helped me grow tremendously, my friends who constantly pushed me to finish, and free printing!”
Kirsten Bork
Kirsten completed her undergraduate degree in Kinesiology with high honors and will begin studies toward a master’s degree in Occupational Therapy at Rush University in June. With a minor in Spanish, she hopes to become a bilingual occupational therapist. An Edmund J. James Scholar, Kirsten received the Beulah Drom Scholarship.
“I will miss the people and being so close to everyone. This University has allowed me to meet so many wonderful people who have impacted my life. Being surrounded by so many people my age was a fabulous opportunity to take advantage of and enjoy.”
Kasi Bowman
Kasi focused her studies on Rehabilitation and Disability Studies as an undergraduate in the Community Health degree program. She plans to complete certification as a personal trainer through the National Academy of Sports Medicine and work for a year before applying to doctoral programs in Physical Therapy. Her goal is to build a career helping individuals improve their quality of life through physical activity. Kasi received an Academic Excellence Award from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
"What I will miss most is the wonderful atmosphere and experience of being an independent student on a college campus. I will miss being surrounded by intellectuals, learning from and teaching one another, and gaining knowledge. I will also miss how friendly the campus environment is."
Nicholas Conley
Nicholas received his bachelor’s degree from the Department of Recreation, Sport and Tourism, in which he focused on Tourism Management. He is pursuing a position as an event coordinator in the Chicago metropolitan area and hopes eventually to work in event management at McCormick Place. His overall career goal, however, is to be successful in any position he holds and to be a role model to those around him. A member of the 2014 Homecoming Court, Nicholas received an Embracing the Values of Differences in Individuals and Communities Recognition Award from the Office of Inclusion and Intercultural Relations.
“I will miss the relationships I’ve built over the last four years, the Department of Recreation, Sport and Tourism, and, of course, my I-LEAP family (Mannie L. Jackson Illinois Academic Enrichment and Leadership Program).”
Lauren Diamond
Lauren completed her master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology in the Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences. In August, she will move to Albany, New York, to begin her clinical fellowship year as a speech-language pathologist in a school setting. Her interests focus on child language, augmentative and alternative communication, and autism spectrum disorder. Her career goal is to make a difference in the lives of the students she serves, both academically and personally, and to give them the communication tools they need to grow into successful and independent people. Lauren helped to develop wellness and leadership programs for fraternity and sorority members as a graduate assistant in the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs. An avid volunteer with a community-based acquired communication disorders social group, she was a presenter at the 2013 conference of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.
“I will miss my cohort of soon-to-be speech pathologists. Coming from a different undergraduate university, it was wonderful having a supportive and energetic class to keep me motivated. The University of Illinois attracts down-to-earth, intelligent, and compassionate people, and I will miss being part of that environment.”
Adam Held
Adam completed dual degrees in Community Health, with a focus on Health Planning and Administration (which he completed with high honors), and Integrative Biology. He soon begins studies at the University of Illinois-Chicago College of Medicine. He hasn’t yet decided what his specialization will be, but knows he wants to be the best physician he can be. Adam received a Children of Veterans Scholarship, which covered his undergraduate tuition.
“I will miss seeing my professors around Huff Hall, all of whom have been instrumental in my career path.”
Kendal Hellman
Community Health student Kendal Hellman focused on Health Planning and Administration in her undergraduate studies. She is relocating to Madison, Wisconsin, to work as a project manager and implementation consultant for Epic Systems, which develops software for mid-size and large medical groups, hospitals, and integrated healthcare organizations. Ultimately, she would like to be a hospital administrator. Kendal was part of a team at Argonne National Laboratory’s Midwest Center for Structural Genomics that identified the structure of New Delhi Metallo-Beta-Lactamase, an enzyme that makes bacteria resistant to antibiotics. As an AHS representative on the Illinois Student Senate, she served on the College of Medicine Ad Hoc Committee. Kendal graduated with honors.
“I am going to miss all the opportunities available at the University of Illinois—research opportunities, concerts on the Quad, lectures given by the best in their fields, athletic events, free movie screenings, and the list goes on. There is not a day goes by on this campus that something big isn’t happening.”
Travis Hill
Travis graduated with highest honors from the undergraduate program in Kinesiology. He will work as an assistant manager for one of the private certified houses on campus before continuing his education at the master’s level. His career goal is to secure a position that encompasses all of his passions—athletics, business, and networking with others.
“The thing I will miss most is getting to know new people within my college and the different experiences I had as part of my major. I will also miss the social aspects of college life, such as tailgating, Big 10 sports, and bar crawls.”
Athena Holevas
Athena completed her bachelor’s degree with High Honors in the Department of Speech and Hearing Science. She will continue her education at Saint Xavier University in Chicago to obtain her master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology. She has her sights set on a pediatric practice in Chicago. Athena served as president of the American Sign Language and Deaf Culture Club and on the executive board of IlliniThon. She also was an active member of Kappa Alpha Theta fraternity, and an Edmund J. James Scholar in the College of Applied Health Sciences.
“I will miss my friends most after graduation. I have had an incredible four years here at Illinois and have made memories that will last a lifetime.”
Zadok Isaacs
Zadok received his master’s degree in Biobehavioral Kinesiology from the Department of Kinesiology and Community Health. His research focused on analyzing balance and fall risk in individuals with Multiple Sclerosis. He is pursuing employment in the sports performance industry and hopes to build a career focused on sports biomechanics. As a college swimmer, Zadok was twice named MVP in NCAA competitions, and was a four-time All-Academic in the Coastal Collegiate Swimming Association.
“What will I miss most? My labmates! A great bunch of people to work with!”
Ryan Juguan
Ryan completed his bachelor’s degree in the Department of Recreation, Sport and Tourism, with a concentration in Sport Management. A member of the University of Illinois Men’s Wheelchair Basketball Team, Ryan will assist the team in the weight room and with practices this fall, as well as working for Champaign-Urbana Special Recreation and Campus Recreation. He will travel to Japan to participate in a wheelchair basketball tournament before beginning studies toward a master’s degree in Human Resources in the spring 2016 semester. His ultimate goal is to be able to travel the world without worrying about money.
“I will miss the great discussions we had in class.”
Victoria Knauf
Kinesiology bachelor’s degree recipient Victoria will begin studies in the College of Podiatric Medicine and Surgery in the fall. The College is part of Des Moines University in Iowa. Her ultimate goal is to work as a podiatrist in areas with limited resources and doctors. Study abroad and medical mission trips to Ecuador and Honduras left her shocked by the number of patients that go untreated. In addition to her major, Victoria completed minors in Spanish and Chemistry. The 2014-2015 president of the Kinesiology Student Association, she was a lab technician in Dr. Marni Boppart’s Molecular Muscle Physiology Lab and graduated with high honors.
“I will miss the professors on this campus. All the professors I’ve had have really gone out of their way to make sure that I understood the material. I found that it was so easy to get the help I needed, even if the class had 300+ students in it.”
Nate Leonardi
A graduate of the Interdisciplinary Health Sciences program, Nate focused his studies on Health Behavior Change. He is off to Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine in Missouri to continue pursuing his goal of becoming a physician. Ultimately, he hopes to make meaningful contributions toward the understanding of the determinants, genetics, pathophysiology, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of disabilities. Nate was a member of the Marching Illini and Basketball Band, serving as a section leader for the trombone section. He also was a member of the New Orleans-style brass band, Sixth Street Brass. He interned with the Center on Health, Aging, and Disability, was a multiple Dean’s List honoree, and graduated with high honors.
“I have been blessed to have a wonderful time here, whether it came from traveling with the band from Dallas, Texas, to Dublin, Ireland, performing at basketball games, or spending time with my close friends. I will miss performing the three-in-one with the Marching Illini, playing at Cowboy Monkey with the Sixth Street Brass, and attending classes in Huff Hall.”
Emily McLaughlin
Emily completed her degree in Kinesiology with highest honors. She begins studies toward a doctorate in Occupational Therapy this fall at Washington University in St. Louis. She hopes to focus her practice on pediatrics, helping young people live with as much independence as possible. An Edmund J. James Scholar, she believes her biggest achievement as an undergraduate was finding her path and pursuing her dreams. Being accepted into graduate school made her feel as though all of her hard work had been rewarded.
“There are a lot of things I will miss about the University of Illinois, including my friends, the resources we have on campus, and the great food and atmosphere. But what I will miss most is the Exercise Neuroscience Research Lab in which I have worked for the last two years. The lab provided me with countless learning opportunities and gave me the chance to work with an amazing professor, Dr. Rob Motl.”
Suzanne Nanney
Suzanne received her master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology. She is particularly interested in working with children who stutter as well as those who speak English as a second language. She will be working as a bilingual speech-language pathologist at Prairie Elementary School in Urbana for the 2015-2016 school year. A professional yoga instructor, Suzanne would like to develop a yoga class for people who stutter and teach the class to other speech-language pathologists at the national convention of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. She is most proud of the achievements her clients have experienced: the increased confidence of a middle school student who stuttered; a preschool child with autism who independently requested different toys during a session; an adult client with a diagnosis of dementia who entertained her with stories of his past.
“I will miss the relationships I have built with the academic faculty and clinical instructors. They have taught me so much and have been so generous with their time and knowledge.”
Alyssa Neimark
An Interdisciplinary Health Sciences major, Alyssa focused her undergraduate studies on Health Diversity. She has been working as a medical scribe at Presence Covenant Medical Center in Urbana and will continue in that position for another year as she applies to medical schools. Her ultimate goal is to become a cardiothoracic surgeon. Alyssa received a Stanley R. Levy Leadership Scholarship and Class of 1941 Memorial Excellence Scholarship from the University of Illinois, and the Academic Achievement Award and Rising Star Award from the Interdisciplinary Health Sciences program. An Edmund J. James Scholar, Alyssa graduated with highest honors.
“I will miss the people in the College of Applied Health Sciences most. Since my time on campus, the people in Huff Hall have really become a family to me. I will miss not being able to walk down the halls and find numerous people to say hi to!”
Matthew Platta
Matthew completed his master’s degree in Kinesiology with a concentration in Exercise Physiology. His research addressed the effects of exercise on fitness and cardiovascular function in multiple sclerosis. After completing some prerequisites, he will apply for doctoral programs in Physical Therapy in the Midwest. Ultimately, he would like to specialize in treating neurological conditions and diseases such as multiple sclerosis.
“I will miss the lab and my advisor. My lab was kind of a home away from home where it was easier to focus on things that helped me progress in my education.”
Paula Poh
Paula completed her Ph.D. in Kinesiology, with a focus on exercise physiology. She also is interested in thermoregulation and military medicine. She will continue the research she started as a doctoral student through a postdoctoral fellowship and hopes to become a research scientist in an industrial or government laboratory. Paula has served on the American College of Sports Medicine’s Ad Hoc Action Committee on Diversity. She received a U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command Predoctoral Fellowship and an Experimental Biology Caroline tum Suden/Frances Hellebrandt Professional Opportunity Award from the American Physiological Society.
“I will miss teaching group fitness classes—especially Zumba!—at the Activities Recreation Center and the Campus Recreation Center East.”
Christopher Reed
Kinesiology major Christopher Reed has moved to Fayetteville, Arkansas, to pursue a master’s degree in Athletic Training. His career goal is to work for a professional football or baseball team. He also would be happy as an athletic trainer for a Division I college football team. He graduated with high honors from the Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, and received a Benjamin Lever Fellowship from the University of Arkansas.
“I will definitely miss all of the people I have met here who helped make me into the person I am today. The friendships I made at Illinois will continue for the rest of my life and that is something you don’t find every day. On top of that, I will especially miss my roommates for the last two years, Danny and Kevin.”
Anne Schaafsma
Anne completed her master’s degree in Kinesiology. As an athletic trainer, her interests include sports medicine, preventive medicine, and the effects of training and intercollegiate athletics on the health of student athletes. Her thesis research focused on the use of heart rate variability and wellness monitoring data as way to track training load and health status in athletes. She is pursuing a position as an athletic trainer at the college level, but her ultimate goal is to work as a trainer for an Olympic team. Anne was instrumental in implementing a functional screening procedure called the Physical Competency Assessment for all student-athletes in the Division of Intercollegiate Athletics. By providing information on lack of mobility and functional movement deficiencies, the assessment helps athletic staff to correct problems that could cause injuries or compromise performance.
“I have had the opportunity to meet and work with some wonderful, very knowledgeable people during my time here, both in the Department of Kinesiology and Community Health and the athletic department. I will be sad to say goodbye.”
Emerson Sebastiao
Emerson received his Ph.D. in Kinesiology. His research interests include physical activity, aging, and public health. He is specifically focused on understanding how older adults from underrepresented populations make decisions about physical activity, and how socio-cultural factors affect choices regarding active or sedentary lifestyles. Ultimately, he hopes to develop interventions that are culturally sensitive. Emerson is pursuing post-doctoral and assistant professor opportunities in his home country, Brazil. His goal is to become a full professor at a recognized university while continuing his research, teaching, and outreach programs. He also hopes to become a consultant on health promotion through physical activity for the Ministry of Health in Brazil or to other health organizations in Latin America.
“I will miss the rich and inspiring academic environment of the University of Illinois, especially the Department of Kinesiology and Community Health. I will miss the cultural diversity, saying ‘hi’ to professors and colleagues, and salsa dancing.”
Corey Shayman
Corey completed his undergraduate studies within the Department of Speech and Hearing Science with high honors and a focus on Audiology. His immediate goal is to complete his research manuscript on auditory streaming, followed by medical school. He hopes to study and treat neurological disorders of the ear. He wouldn’t mind also having a weekly show on National Public Radio. Corey also completed an undergraduate degree in Molecular and Cellular Biology.
“I will miss living out of the basement of the Speech and Hearing Science building and studying with my friends.”
Kedir Turi
After completing his Ph.D. in Community Health, Kedir is joining Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, as a postdoctoral research fellow in asthma. His doctoral research focused on the epidemiology and economics of chronic disease prevention. His ultimate goal is to become a leading researcher in integrated chronic disease prevention at a major university or medical center. Kedir’s master’s degree from Illinois is in Applied Economics, and he served a pre-doctoral fellowship in Computational Genomics.
“I think I will miss the bike friendliness and walkability of the University of Illinois campus.”
Hannah Wood
Hannah is staying on at the University of Illinois to complete her master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology after earning her undergraduate degree from the Department of Speech and Hearing Science. She is excited to be at the point of applying her knowledge through working with clients in the University of Illinois Speech-Language Pathology Clinic. Ultimately, she would like to work with patients with brain and spinal cord injuries at Craig Hospital in Denver, Colorado. A Bronze Table honoree, Hannah participated in the Campus Honors Program and graduated with highest honors.
“Luckily, I won’t have a whole lot to miss because I will be back on campus for the next two years while I complete my master’s degree!”