Giving Impact Stories
Savannah Goodman
- Engineering Visionary Scholarship Alumna
Grainger Engineer, 2014
My scholarship helped fund my international travel to Uganda, which incited my passion for global energy access and has led me to pursue a career focused on distributed energy resources and microgrids.
Dana Yun
- Engineering Visionary Scholarship Recipient
Grainger Engineer, 2022
My parents moved to the United States to attend the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. I was born and raised here, so the University of Illinois is my home.
Jeremy Quinteros
- Engineering Visionary Scholarship Recipient
Grainger Engineer, 2022
I am a first-generation college student in my family, and I greatly appreciate the support I’ve been given to accomplish my goals.
Nick Rivera
- Engineering Visionary Scholarship Alumnus
Grainger Engineer, 2015
I believe those who experience success have an obligation to help others experience success. I have been fortunate enough to pay my experiences forward to Illinois, because I personally have benefited much from my time there.
David Opperman Study Abroad Scholarship
The David Opperman Study Abroad Scholarship was established by David’s son, Mark, in memory of his father in order to provide students with what is often a life-changing experience living and studying abroad. “A scholarship to support study abroad seemed like the best means to make an ongoing impact on students’ lives in a way that would honor my father’s work”, related Mark.
Julia Brodecki
- Engineering Visionary Scholarship Alumna
Grainger Engineer, 2020
Being a woman in STEM, I understand some of the barriers present in my field of study. However, I have also seen how the scholarships I received set me up for success and how philanthropy can have a significant impact on increasing diversity and inclusion at The Grainger College of Engineering.
Jacob Perakis
- Engineering Visionary Scholarship Recipient
Computer Science, 2021
“This scholarship made it possible for my family to send me, my brother, and my sister to college for an affordable price. We are on track to be the first in our family to complete a college degree.”
Oscar Zepeda
- Engineering Visionary Scholarship Recipient
Industrial and Enterprise Systems Engineering, 2022
“I am inspired to pay things forward by being a role model to those within my community and within my program, and to do my best to contribute in any way possible to society.”
Vongai Tizora
- Engineering Visionary Scholarship Recipient
Bioengineering, 2022
“Being surrounded by such extraordinary resources and students is a great source of motivation and inspiration for me.”