“I didn’t belong on campus," Army veteran Eric Swenson says. "I was fresh off my combat deployment to Iraq, and let’s be honest, a high school flunkie. When I walked into CHEM 101 with fresh high school grads, I was on foreign soil. But Illinois is a place where you can transform your life and put down roots.”
— A veterans community: “It took a long time, but I found my people — veterans who had proudly served, and like me, came to Illinois for a world-class education. We made it together, and with support from the Chez Veterans Center, found first in class services and connection.”
— A mentor: “People are what make an education world class, and I owe a great debt to Professor Mike Ward, who invested in me for five years. I’m an omnivore, and the transferable skills he nurtured have carried me through a varied and winding career.”
— A legacy: “This summer, my wife and I were on campus again, this time with our son, who’s beginning his journey at Illinois. Nearly every day he calls after his best day ever, his best class ever or finding a new internship.
“My roots have grown deep, and so has my gratitude," says the Carle Health strategy specialist. "Foreign soil becomes home, and this is where I’ve chosen to build a life, raise my children and tend my garden.
"Illinois transforms lives.”
