2009 homecoming court
Meet your 2009 Homecoming Court!
Manuel Colon
From the south side of Chicago, Manuel is earning his degree in Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences with a concentration in Human Dimensions, as well as an ACES Internal minor. He is in his third year working for University Housing, currently as a Multicultural Advocate in the Babcock-Carr community. He serves as the Chapter President of Alpha Psi Lambda National, Inc. at Beta Chapter, as well as the Vice-President of External Affairs for the United Greek Council. His post-graduation plans are yet to be decided between pursuing higher education, working full time for the USDA-Forest Service in their Urban Connections program, or servicing a 27-month Peace Corp obligation.
Alexander Johnson
Alex grew up on his family farm near Shabbona, IL. He is a senior in the College of Business earning a dual degree in Finance and Management. He is currently the president of his fraternity, Beta Sigma Psi. After graduation in December, he looks forward to beginning his career at the corporate headquarters of Kohl’s Department Stores in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Nick Theisinger
Nick grew up in Norridge, IL. He attended St. Eugene grammar school before going to St. Patrick High School in Chicago. He graduated fourth in his class and was involved in theater, band, soccer, track and tennis. In high school, he started Magix Entertainment, a mobile disc jockey company that he maintains today. He is studying Civil Engineering, interning for the past three years. He plans to continue with graduate school in engineering and later law school. A performer at heart, he started Crazy/Agile, a local band opening for acts such as Local H. Always service oriented, he serves as the treasurer for Volunteer Illini Projects, volunteers locally, and has traveled on a medical brigade to Honduras. As a member of the Delta Chi fraternity, he has worked to improve the academic performance and philanthropic participation of its members.
Mark Smith
Mark, son of Roger and Carol Smith of Serena, IL, is a senior in Crop Sciences in the College of ACES. While at Illinois, Mark has been continually active in the Farm House Fraternity, the Band Department, and playing the Senior Memorial Chimes at Altgeld Hall. Mark performs with the Marching Illini, Basketball Band, and the Orange and Blues Band. He also aids in writing and choreographing portions of the Marching Illini halftime shows. Additionally, he is an Eagle Scout, a recipient of the American Future Farmers of America (FFA) Degree, and currently serves as a Crop Science Student Ambassador. Mark interned with the GROWMARK, Inc. Seed Division during the summer of 2009, and is a GROWMARK Foundation Scholarship recipient. Upon graduation, Mark plans to pursue a career in agricultural sales and services with agronomy or seed specialty.
John Wyss
John is a senior Crop Science major in the College of ACES. He grew up on a family farm in eastern Illinois near the small town of Chebanse. After graduation, he plans on working an agronomy related career in the crop inputs industry and one day plans to return to the family farm. John’s hobbies include following the Chicago Cubs, the Illini, playing sports, agriculture, being outdoors (hunting and fishing), and spending time with friends. He is proud of where he came from and would not trade his experiences in rural America for anything. At Illinois, he has been involved with the Interfraternity Council, ACES Student Advancement Committee, Crop Sciences Student Ambassadors, Alpha Zeta Honorary fraternity, and Alpha Gamma Rho. He is extremely grateful for his time here on campus and will remember his experiences at the University of Illinois forever.
Mitch Heisler
Mitch is a senior majoring in Agricultural and Consumer Economics. He is the son of Mike and Diane Heisler and grew up on a grain and livestock farm in Warsaw, IL. His interests are rooted in agricultural business and production agriculture. After graduation, he would like to continue to work in agriculture either in sales or agricultural marketing. On campus, he is a member of Alpha Gamma Rho Fraternity where he is service as Vice Noble Ruler of Planning. He is also currently serving as president of the Student Alumni Ambassadors and Director of ExplorACES 2010.
Eric Anderson
Eric is an English major from the western suburbs of Chicago and is happy to return from a semester abroad in England to friends, sports, and mud-sliding that only Illinois can give. His time at Illinois has been chaotically splendid: from smack-talking snarky USC fans at the Rose Bowl to co-founding the Illini Handball Club, from crowd-surfing at a football game to doing research in Yellowstone, his years here have been an adventure into the unexpected, the hilarious, and the challenging. After graduation, Eric plans on pursuing a screenwriting career. But first, he plans to try his hand at some overseas grad school programs. Whatever the next chapter is, may it seep orange and blue. Four more years! Four more years!
Remy Soni
Remy is from Westmont, IL. He is a senior in the College of LAS, double majoring in Communication and English. Besides from being the Vice President of Activities for Atius-Sachem, he has been an active member of the Kappa Delta Rho fraternity, currently one of the three undergraduates in the country serving on the National Board of Directors. He has been extremely involved within the Greek community, having served terms as recruitment chair for his chapter and Vice President of Membership Development on the Interfraternity Council Executive Board. He has also taken part in many other activities such as writing an opinion column for the Daily Illini and being an active member of the American Marketing Association. He plans to graduate in May of 2010 and pursue a master’s degree in Labor and Employment Relations.
Matthew Briscoe
Matthew is from Flora, IL, a town 110 miles south of Champaign-Urbana. His parents are Tina and Brad Briscoe. He has two sisters, Christina (25) and Sarah (17); Christina is a student at Eastern Illinois University and Sarah is a junior at Flora High School. Matthew grew up on a 110 acre cattle and goat farm. He is a senior in Agriculture and Consumer Economics with a concentration in Markets and Management. He came to the University of Illinois loving the Illini and has developed a deep passion that will continue throughout the rest of his life. While at Illinois, he has had the opportunity to work at an amazing job working with alumni, and meeting and recruiting new students to the College of ACES. Upon graduating, he will continue to stay involved on campus and root for the Illini. ILL-INI.
B.J Frobish
B.J is a senior in Public Policy and Law in the College of ACES. He is currently finishing his leadership certificate and plans to attend law school in the fall. Growing up in Urbana, he has been bleeding orange and blue his entire life, something he knows will never change! While on campus, B.J has worked at the Ice Arena, teaching in the Community Learn-to-Skate Program, driving the Zamboni, and teaching Kinesiology 104. He co-founded The 1867 Society, a student foundation that encourages student philanthropy and gives students the chance to make an immediate change on campus. He has enjoyed devoting his time to various student organizations including Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity, Student Alumni Ambassadors, the Provost Student Advisory Board and more. He is honored to be part of the Homecoming Court and knows that the Illini will lead us to victory over the Spartans. Go ILLINI!
Nicole Kraus
Nicole Kraus is an Okawvile, IL, native who will receive her bachelor’s degree in Political Science in December. During her time at the University of Illinois, Nicole has been active in her sorority, Alpha Gamma Delta, serving as membership coordinator during her junior year. She also served Panhellenic Council as a Greek Counselor (Gamma Chi). Nicole is a First Year Campus Acquaintance Rape Education (FYCARE) facilitator for the campus community. She is also a member of the honor societies Alpha Lambda Delta, Phi Kappa Phi, and the National Society of Collegiate Scholars. Nicole has experienced government and political life through various internships, working for Congressman John Shimkus out of district office in Collinsville, IL and for the Environmental Protection Agency out of Springfield, IL. After graduation, Nicole will begin working on her master’s degree at the University of Illinois with the goal of eventually working with agricultural policy.
Alice Foreman
Alice will graduate at the end of the year with a bachelor’s degree in Earth Systems, Environment, and Society. She grew up in Waterloo, IA, and while it was not environmental studies which initially brought her to the University of Illinois, she has loved every minute of her time here. As a freshman, Alice quickly became involved in academic, service, and faith based organizations on campus and her time as a student has been forever changed by that involvement. She has been given the opportunity to grow as a leader among her peers and has learned so much from these experiences. After graduation, Alice hopes to engage in international service, focusing on substandard housing issues in developing countries and to remain involved in these issues for the rest of her life.
Laurice Jackson
Laurice was born April 26, 1988, the youngest of three children to Judith N. Gibbs. Laurice grew up in the south suburbs of Chicago where she attended Thornwood high school. Her first introduction to the University of Illinois was as a high school student participating in the Research Apprenticeship Program through the College of ACES diversity programs. After returning for three summers to participate in this program, she enrolled in the College of ACES to pursue a degree in Human Nutrition. During her collegiate career, she has studied abroad in Jamaica, Costa Rica, and South Africa. Additionally, she completed research as a part of the Young Scholars Program and presented this research at the Minorities in Agricultural Natural Resources and Related Sciences National Conference. She is a James Scholar and following the completion of her bachelor’s degree, she will be pursuing a doctorate in medicine.
Alessandra Musetti
Alessandra is a senior majoring in Molecular and Cellular Biology. She is from Barrington, IL, and is currently a Chemistry Teaching Assistant and also a tutor for physiology. She really enjoys teaching, especially quelling the nervousness most of her students have about their first time on a college campus. Next year, she is planning on going to medical school to become a pediatrician, and eventually plans to join Doctors Without Boards and open her own non-profit healthcare agency in the city of Chicago. Alessandra loves the camaraderie of concerts above all else, but also enjoys volunteering, reading, tennis, and any sort of fruit picking.
Sara Cline
Sara, a senior in Political Science, is from Wheaton, IL. During her time at Illinois, she has been very active in the Greek community, serving as president of both her sorority, Delta Delta Delta, and of Panhellenic Council. Next year, she will be at the University pursuing a master’s in Political Science.
Melissa Gold
Melissa’s hometown is Buffalo Grove, IL, and she graduated from Adlai E. Stevenson High School in 2006. She is a senior in the College of LAS, pursuing a major in English and minors in Political Science and Gender and Women’s Studies. Melissa was a member of the Marching Illini Flag Corps who performed in the 2008 St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Dublin, Ireland and the 2007 Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. Melissa is also a member of Alpha Epsilon Phi sorority, current Vice President of Pre-Law Honors Society, current VP for Programs and past Director of Arts for the Illini Union Board, current VP and past Special Programming of Phi Alpha Delta Pre-Law Honorary Fraternity, and current member of the LAS Student Advisory Committee to the Dean. Melissa’s honors and awards include Phi Eta Sigma Honor Society, Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society, Order of Omega Greek Honor Society and the Dean’s List. Melissa’s career plans are to attend law school directly after graduation.
Emily Keeney
Emily is a senior majoring in both Communication and Psychology from Ft. Wayne, Indiana. She has been involved in a wide array of campus activities including: Panhellenic Council, Kappa Delta Sorority, Student Alumni Ambassadors, and Atius-Sachem. She hopes to pursue a career in Human Resources after graduation. In her spare time, she loves spending time with her family and friends.
Ashley Soriano
During her time as an Illini, Ashley has been able to have many leadership positions and participate in various activities. Some of her leadership positions include iHelp co-chair, membership co-chair, and alumni host for the Student Alumni Ambassadors. She has served as President and Founder of Hope for Vision at UIUC and created the first ever iWalk and 5K Run for Vision for which she received the Mom’s Association Humanitarian Service Award. She has had the pleasure of tutoring in many of the area schools and serving as a mentor to bilingual students. In addition, Ashley was the Public Relations Chair for Panhellenic Recruitment Board as well as a Gamma Chi (Recruitment Counselor). She gained life experiences by studying abroad in Costa Rica, and then upon her return, she served as a study-abroad consultant as well as a Spanish conversation leader. Ashley feels that she has truly had the Illinois experience.
Dorothy Spencer
A native of the small town of Yale, IL, Dorothy is a senior in Agricultural Communications. Deciding during her junior year of high school to attend the University of Illinois, Dorothy followed in her brother’s footsteps. Once on campus, she quickly became acclimated to the campus and her college. Dorothy quickly became involved in the ACES Student Council where she currently serves as a Vice President external. During her four years on campus, she acquired a first class education while being involved on campus and developing a love for the Illini. Leadership has been a particular area of interest as Dorothy took full advantage of the i-Programs and the Illinois Leadership Certificate offered by the Illinois Leadership Center (ILC). Today, Dorothy is serving as the president of 4-H House Cooperative Sorority and a Graf Intern for the ILC.
Virginia Byrne
Virginia comes from Franklin, TN, a town just south of Nashville, though she spent most of her childhood between New York and Connecticut. A senior in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing, Virginia plans on attending graduate school for a master’s degree in College Student Affairs. Currently, she is a Graf Intern at the Illinois Leadership Center coordinating student leadership programs and giving workshops to RSOs on any and all leadership topics. Throughout her four years at the University of Illinois, Virginia has been involved with the University YMCA as a Development Intern, Board of Governors member, and this year serves as the President of the Student Board of Governors. Virginia loves the University of Illinois for all of the wonderful opportunities it has proved her to learn, grow, and make the most fantastic friends.