You won’t find Trevor Bates’ go-to spot on any official map of must-see campus attractions.
But for the university administrator and allied health care professional (athletic trainer), the ramp that went from the first floor to the second at Freer Hall defines his Illinois experience.
It “signified the productive challenges that I experienced as a graduate teaching assistant and graduate student in kinesiology,” says Bates (MS ’04/kinesiology, sports medicine), now the VP of academic affairs and dean of faculty at Mercy College in Toledo, Ohio.
“At the bottom of the ramp was the mail room that was a gathering place where important information was found in the form of resources that were essential to completing research and other projects.
“It was very difficult to get to the top of the ramp but getting to the top was very much worth the effort. At the top of the ramp were the offices of several of my professors and my fellow classmates.
“Support and camaraderie could be found at the top of the ramp but it took an initial amount of effort on my part first before the resources were available. I was able to develop strength and persistence needed to excel beyond challenges with the help of the ramp.”
