Giving Impact Stories

“I worked really hard in my first two years at community college and it was nice to receive recognition for my effort through the Engineering Visionary Scholarship.”

Sam Dotson is a junior in the Department of Physics at Illinois. In 2017, he transferred from the College of Lake County, a community college in northern Illinois. Receiving an Engineering Visionary Scholarship helped Sam make a smoother transition from community college to the University of Illinois.

Sam loves being an Illinois Engineering student, and he loves to call campus his home. Sam says his classes are enjoyable and engaging, and the professors teach with enthusiasm and love what they do.

Currently, Sam is pursuing undergraduate research opportunities. After he graduates next year, he would like to pursue a master’s degree in physics or take a year off to work on research. He is interested in the intersection of three topics: quantum information systems, artificial intelligence and machine learning, and game theory. He believes the combination of these fields will pave the way for advances in many areas of technology.