Homewood-Flossmoor High School students and staff got to interact with representatives of the University of Illinois system during a visit Sept. 3.
U of I has three campuses – Urbana-Champaign, Chicago and Springfield.
H-F’s 2023 statistics show 139 seniors applied at Urbana-Champaign, 90 at Chicago and 14 at Springfield. From the 2024 H-F graduating class, 141 applied to Urbana-Champaign, 28 to Chicago and 2 to Springfield.
H-F was the first of several stops on a statewide tour that gave U of I officials time to discuss topics such as college access and affordability, sustainability and economic development. H-F students Cameron Brooks, Dominic Fanelli, Hiroshio Madison, Kaitlin Neal, Ahmad Powell and Everett Van Til were part of a roundtable discussion with U of I representatives, including U of I President Timothy Kileen, Urbana-Champaign Chancellor Robert Jones, Springfield Chancellor Janet Gooch, and Nikos Varelas, Chicago’s vice provost for Academic Programs and Effectiveness.
Jen Hester, H-F’s director of curriculum, said H-F looks forward to working in partnership with U of I on dual credit offerings that can help H-F students earn college credit while in high school, as well as career pathway articulation.
“The University of Illinois System’s mission is to serve the public good, and the state tours allow us to exchange ideas, amplify opportunities and discover ways to create and contribute to economic growth and societal well-being in ways that touch every Illinoisan,” Killeen said.
“Through the state tour, we listen, learn and partner to make a real difference in lives and communities throughout the state by inspiring Illinoisans to achieve their potential and strengthen our entire state.”