Local & global communities
We believe in leading through service and partnership.
Meaningful change happens when people come together to serve, innovate, and invest in one another. Thanks to the extraordinary generosity of our donors, Illinois students, faculty, and alumni are able to partner with communities across the state and beyond — expanding opportunity, addressing critical needs, and building a stronger future for all.
Impact spotlight
Community Learning Lab Small Grants, Big Impacts Fund
Donor support funds community outreach through the School of Social Work
Since 2022, donor support through the Community Learning Lab’s Small Grants, Big Impacts initiative has provided funding for 20 community-engaged projects that provide Illinois’s future social workers hands-on experience. Through partnerships with schools, nonprofits, and public agencies, students have gained valuable real-world experience while helping address challenges such as food insecurity, housing stability, youth social-emotional learning, and access to basic necessities.
One project brought K–8 students and their families from Danville to campus, helping young people envision themselves as future college students. Another partnership with the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District supported the creation of an accessible online resource guide for adolescents seeking community services. Additional grants have helped Master of Social Work students participate in community-engaged learning experiences throughout east-central Illinois.
The Community Learning Lab Small Grants, Big Impacts Fund supports faculty, staff, and student-led service projects that benefit community partners while enhancing student learning.
ACES Family Academies Fund
ACES Family Academies gives kids a taste of college life
Every summer, children ages 8-13 experience life as an Illini during ACES Family Academies, a three-day immersive program that combines hands-on learning with a true campus experience.
The program offers more than 20 interactive sessions covering topics including food and agriculture, technology, economics, human development, marketing communications, and environmental sciences. Participants explore topics ranging from wildlife discovery and meal planning to the science behind Illini SuperPop™, a popcorn hybrid developed by ACES researchers.
“ACES Family Academies provides an opportunity to learn about all the areas of study within our diverse ACES curriculum,” said Meghan Brockamp, coordinator of alumni engagement for the College of ACES.
Beyond the classroom, participants stay in a residence hall, dine at the Ikenberry Dining Center, and experience campus life firsthand, giving them an early glimpse of what it means to be an Illinois student.
The College of ACES Alumni Association proudly supports the ACES Family Academies through the ACES Family Academies Fund.
Giving stories
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