Student Impact

Thanks to our generous alumni and friends, many Media students are able to receive scholarship aid. (See list of recipients.) This act of kindness does not go unnoticed, especially by our students. Their words of thanks are inspiring and a testament to how important you are to the Illinois experience.

If you are interested in learning how you can help future students, please contact the College of Media Office of Advancement at (217) 244-5466 or media-giving@illinois.edu. You can also make an immediate gift here.  


RawanRawan, Computer Science + Advertising, Class of 2026

"My hope is to increase access to high quality information and resources to a wide range of individuals regardless of individual factors, such as income or geography. I feel both supported and encouraged to pursue my passions and have an impact on the world. Thank you for your continued support of students like me which allowed me this amazing opportunity."


FrancescaFrancesca, Media & Cinema Studies, Class of 2026

"This opportunity lets me combine my passions for media and politics in a way that allows me to be creative and inspire change, and I see my career taking this course in the future as well. I have always been drawn to film, journalism, and anything media-related, and it is thanks to this scholarship that I am able to continue to pursue my passions at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, a school full of life and ambition."


PriyankaPriyanka, Media & Cinema Studies, Class of 2025

"Since middle school, media has been my passion, and the opportunity to pursue this interest at Illinois has only increased my enthusiasm. Being chosen for this scholarship will immensely help in achieving my academic and personal goals. Because of this recognition, I am highly motivated to excel in my studies. I have confidence in myself to study hard and create opportunities for myself from which I can gain further experience in my field, and your continued support will help in achieving these goals."


RickyRicky, Computer Science + Advertising, Class of 2024

"It is always difficult when it comes to paying for out-of-state tuition. However, with the help of both UIUC and generous donors like you, there will be less pressure on my family and I to gather payments and take out a substantial amount of loans. Instead, I can focus on getting a good education and start doing what I have always wanted to do: discover a career where I can utilize my ability to better my community."


MargaretMargaret, Media & Cinema Studies, Class of 2023

"Thank you for providing the funding for this scholarship. I am forever grateful for your generosity. I am one of the millions within the United States who is going to have to pay my college debt. This scholarship not only helps with my future finances but my future goal of becoming a documentarian."

 

 


PaulPaul, Media & Cinema Studies, Class of 2023

"From 2018 to 2019, I was living in Saitama, Japan, doing three of my favorite things: experiencing Japanese culture, doing volunteer work, and creating visual media. When I returned to the U.S., I applied to the College of Media at UIUC so I could earn my degree and return to Japan, to continue the work I started there. The pandemic has been difficult, and I have been worried about how I will accomplish these goals. Your generosity will go a long way to help me and will be multiplied through all the ways my work can help others."


WilliamWilliam, Advertising, Class of 2023

"This award forces me to use my creative ideals to make my impact on the world and to help create positive change for others using my ideals. The most significant thing I have learned from my time at Illinois is that everyone at the College of Media wants to support me and help me succeed, not just at school but also after I enter the [advertising] industry itself."

 


RyanRyan, Advertising, Class of 2023

"My heavy involvement in and around campus will benefit greatly from your generosity. As I am involved in numerous school marketing departments, advertising clubs, and engage in my own self-initiated company work, I have a unique ability to create an impact on several different audiences. In my work, I strive to create content that promotes living a positive lifestyle and offers resources and knowledge to achieve it. This scholarship provides me with the ability to create content at a higher level, widening my ability to capture a larger and more diverse audience."


SydneySydney, Journalism, Class of 2023

"With this scholarship, I look forward to lessening tuition’s financial burden on my family while continuing to fully immerse myself in university life. My time at Illinois’ College of Media, The Daily Illini, and miscellaneous internships have given me invaluable knowledge and experiences, and I look forward to continuing the advancement of my skills to benefit myself and my future workplace. Thank you for your confidence in funding this scholarship and for this opportunity to prosper throughout my college career."

 


NathalieNathalie, Journalism, Class of 2023

"Among the challenges of being a first-generation college student, financial aid is inevitably among the top. These funds will give me the financial relief to pursue my craft without the worry of making ends meet. My dream is to give back to my community through truth telling at a Spanish-speaking news outlet. And thanks to gracious donors like yourselves, I can remain at the University of Illinois to continue gaining experience, and ultimately make you proud."