Name: Aman Kapur

Major: General Engineering

Hometown: Jaipur, Rajasthan, India

Former High School: Step by Step High School

Advice for incoming freshman: There is a lot to do at U of I. Don’t bite off more than you can chew. Confusion is common, and dilemmas will be prevalent. Be patient, you’ll find your way. Also, people are more important than anything. Make the right friends.

Reason for joining iFoundry: I’ve had already been trying to impart iFoundry’s principles at my high school even before I knew it existed. When I got to know about it, I was relieved that there was someone else also thinking the way I do. I jumped right in. Engineers aren’t robots just following orders, they are critical thinkers who can not only analyze complexities with ease but also apply themselves in areas unthinkable to anyone. They are not just people who fix problems, but people who visualize a better world.

Contact information: amanroxx@gmail.com, IM: Gtalk = amanroxx, Skype= amanroxx

Name: Claire Slupski

Major: Mechanical Science and Engineering

Hometown: Loveland, OH

Former High School: Milford High School

Advice for incoming freshman: Get to know your roommate! Chat with them and see what interests they have. Who knows: they could be an amazing person!

Make sure to go to Quad Day! If you have an interest in anything, we have a Registered Student Organization for it!

Join iFoundry! It will open your mind to vast possibilities! Also, it’s an excellent way of meeting other driven, dedicated, creative, and innovative folks. And it will allow you opportunities that few other freshmen have: design projects, day trips to visit corporate advisers, eye-opening presentations and lectures, etc. I can’t rave enough about it!

Reason for joining iFoundry: Initially, I joined iFoundry because I wanted to jump start my engineering education. It exceeded my expectations! I not only learned about how to become a successful engineer, but I made great friends, met amazingly innovative people, connected with faculty members, and had a great creative outlet.

Contact information: 513-284-2929 [cell], cslupski13@gmail.com [email]

Name: David Hanley

Major: Aerospace Engineering

Hometown: Orland Park, IL

Former High School: Carl Sandburg High School

Advice for incoming freshmen: JOIN IFOUNDRY!

Reason for joining iFoundry: After looking through the website, I thought [correctly] that it would open the doors to uncountable opportunities.

Contact information: 708-341-0097 [cell], hanley6@illinois.edu [email]

Name: Islam Sharabash

Major: Electrical Engineering

Hometown: Champaign, IL

Former High School: Centennial High School

Advice for incoming freshman: Don’t be afraid to try everything, learn to manage your time, try Cravings restaurant.

Reason for joining iFoundry: It couldn’t hurt to sign up for everything…right?

Contact information: 217-377-9657 [cell], sharaba2@illinois.edu [email]

Name: Jaime Kelleher

Major: Materials Science and Engineering

Hometown: Western Springs, IL

Former High School: Lyons Township High School

Advice for incoming freshman: Take advantage of the opportunities presented to you.

Reason for joining iFoundry: I received A LOT of e-mails about it… and decided I might as well check it out.  I wasn’t sure exactly what it was, but it looked like it had some good opportunities.  I’m so glad I joined!

Contact information: 708-805-6040 [cell], kellehe7@illinois.edu [email]

Name: Matthew Johnson

Major: Computer Engineering

Hometown: West Dundee, IL

Former High School: St. Edward Central Catholic HS

Advice for incoming freshman: Joining iFoundry will make the college transition a lot smoother.  You will meet fellow engineers who share your interests and are just as motivated and intelligent as you are, you’ll have the opportunity to interact with professionals in engineering and other fields, you will receive so many unique experiences, and you will develop a vision of what you want out of your college education.

Reason for joining iFoundry: One thing that concerned me about becoming an engineer was that there was this image of a typical engineer being some intelligent, yet anti-social, person who would just be sitting at a desk crunching numbers and solving physics problems all day.  But I knew engineering had to be more than just cold, hard math and science.  Engineering involves people; it’s more social than most would think.  Engineering involves creative and innovative design, drawing upon artistic concepts, and catering to the needs and hopes and aspirations of others.  I think iFoundry has that same stance.  iFoundry seeks to create a better engineer, not one who can just do the technical work, but one who can also interact with and understand people, be creative, and make something totally unique that meets the deepest needs and desires of others.  I joined iFoundry because that is the type of engineer I aspire to be.

Contact information: 847-345-2928 [cell], matmann2001@aol.com [email], ifoundrymatt.blogspot.com [my iFoundry blog]