Julie Yen (MS/LIS '07) wants students to receive the same quality educational experience that she enjoyed during her time at the iSchool. For this reason, she is a loyal donor to the iSchool Annual Fund, which provides dollars for scholarships, annual student awards, new technology, and conference travel.
Yen, who serves as a supervisor in the financial aid office at Mesa Community College in Mesa, Arizona, understands the impact of financial support on students' lives.
"I believe in giving back to the community and sharing opportunities," she said. "My time with the iSchool was valuable. I loved being an MS/LIS student."
Today, Yen uses skills that she learned at the School in her work at Mesa Community College.
"Information literacy weaves itself into my interactions with students," she said. "Unsurprisingly, there are a lot of misconceptions about financial aid, and sometimes source evaluation and search terms guidance sneak into my interactions with students. Sometimes there's more to delve into a student's situation, and I do my best to get them connected to as many resources as they might need."
As a graduate assistant for the iSchool's advancement office, Yen had the opportunity to talk with donors and alumni.
"Learning how some of the donors designed their gifts to be long term and futuristic is helpful as I'm thinking about what legacy I want to leave in the future," she said.
For more information on making a gift to the iSchool, visit the School's online giving page or contact Eileen Prillaman, assistant dean for advancement, at prillamn@illinois.edu or (217) 333-7344.