Celebrating UIC graduates, scholars, and changemakers

Dear Campus Community:

This spring, 6,683 students earned their UIC degrees, each stepping forward with purpose and the promise of a brighter future. At a time of rapid change and emerging opportunities, the world is ready for fresh ideas, bold leadership, and thoughtful solutions. UIC graduates are prepared to meet that moment - as changemakers, entrepreneurs, researchers, and leaders - shaping what comes next with confidence and optimism.

This year, UIC students logged 31,884 hours of community service, the equivalent of 15 full-time staff members dedicated to strengthening our neighborhoods. From tutoring youth and supporting food security to advancing health equity, this commitment reflects who our students are and what UIC stands for: a public university rooted in service, inclusion, and impact.

I am also proud to celebrate four UIC scholars, Nancy Freitag, Jun Sun, Zaijie Wang, and Philip Yu, elected as 2025 Fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Their recognition underscores decades of transformative research in microbiology, pain mechanisms, the gut-brain axis, and data mining. Additionally, two rising scholars, mathematician Philip Engel and chemist Andy Nguyen, were awarded the 2026 Sloan Research Fellowship, affirming UIC's strength in developing scientific leaders. And the incomparable Luis Urrea was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Our Chair Chats series brought NBA legend and entrepreneur Earvin "Magic" Johnson to campus last month to discuss education, resilience, and economic empowerment. When Magic told our students, "Here's a kid that looked just like you, so don't tell me that you can't reach your goal and dream," he echoed what we know to be true: UIC transforms lives because we believe in the potential of every student.

To our faculty and staff, thank you! Your dedication to student success, mentorship, discovery, patient care, and community engagement advances our mission. Thank you for making UIC a place where access and excellence can thrive, and for strengthening our students, our communities, and our shared future.

We are making the UIC story known!

Marie Lynn Miranda, PhD
Chancellor

For more information, please contact:
Omar Odeh
[email protected]