College, Chicago Style

Transcript

Being the first in your family to go to college is a big deal, meet Lavontae. He came to UIC not knowing quite what to expect but he’s found his place and made his debut at UIC both on and off the stage. At UIC, over a third of the student body are first generation. Break a leg Lavontae.

– Thanks Alex, what’s up y’all? You know, being a first gen college student I did not know where to start, but I am so excited that I landed here at the University of Illinois, Chicago. You know, there are tons of great opportunities from the arts to healthcare and STEM, all located in the best city in the world. You know, there is never a dull moment here, whether it’s from being in theater class to competing on the speech team, to just enjoying the city. It’s just UIC baby. One of the biggest reasons I came here is Chicago. Okay, I wanted a traditional campus feel surrounded by a big city. There is literally no better place. UIC Center for Student Involvement helps students take advantage of Chicago with their Flames in the city program, offering everything from tickets to Broadway in Chicago. I mean, you can see shows like “Hamilton,” to kayaking in the Chicago River. Okay, I do not know much about water but I hear it’s fun. Tickets to museums, you can walk around feeling bougie looking at the arts. Six Flags, amusement park trips and so much more. As a member of the speech team, I am proud to say that we’ve been the most successful team in UIC’s history, earning international and state championships. The friends and relationships I have made on the team is one of the main reasons why UIC feels like home. UIC is not only a federally designated minority serving institution with the commitment to supporting underrepresented students, it is also recognized by Campus Pride as one of the best LGBTQ+ friendly colleges and universities in the nation. You know, it’s comforting to go to a university with people with similar backgrounds and similar paths. UIC in Chicago have definitely been the perfect fit for me, whether it comes from the activities, to the classroom or just exploring the city. Okay, sure, coming from the suburbs was overwhelming but eventually I found my fire here at UIC. Okay, was that corny? Okay, well, Alex, I guess we gotta go back to you.

– Not corny at all Lavontae. As a UIC Flame, it sounds like you have met your match. Students meet so many of people alike and different. As a leader among national public universities and with no ethnic majority on campus, UIC is proud of its multiple federal designations as a minority serving institution.