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The inspiring success stories of Lewis University

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For some, success means having a lucrative career. For others, it may be as simple as choosing the right university that’ll steer them towards the future they envision for themselves. Regardless of how success is defined, Lewis University prides themselves in producing career-ready graduates who seek to create their own definition of success.

Ranked among the top Midwest Regional Universities (US News and World Report) and one of the best colleges in the Midwest (The Princeton Review), Lewis University offers an education and experience that’ll set students up for life.

Located in Illinois, the university is home to more than 6,500 undergraduate and graduate students. Founded in 1932, Lewis is now the eighth largest private, not-for-profit university in the state providing more than 80 undergraduate majors and programmes of study, 37 graduate programmes, and two doctoral programmes.

With a 13:1 student-to-faculty ratio, classes are small, ensuring the development of the complete person through the pursuit of wisdom and justice. Campus life adds a different kind of enrichment, through new connections and activities that get them out of their comfort zones.

Hear from the students themselves how Lewis University got them ready for the next steps in their professional and personal lives:

Kim Joonhe

Hailing from Busan, South Korea, Kim Joonhe pursued a BS Business Administration and MS Business Analytics at Lewis University.

“I knew that I wanted to study business administration because of the flexibility that it offered in the job market. When I was a first-year student, I was not sure exactly what I wanted to do professionally. So studying business keeps all options open,” shares Kim.

With data mining and business intelligence as his favourite courses, Joon soon realised his strengths lay in qualitative methods and its application to business decision-making.

Engaging classes and helpful teachers further fuelled his interest in business administration. “Dr. Ibrahim was by far my favourite professor. I took multiple courses with him because he taught in a way that made very complex topics understandable and applicable. Also Dr. Reza – he was funny and made difficult topics fun to learn,” reflects Kim.

Being part of a diverse community of learners helped Joon feel at home. “The international students at Lewis are very active and we spend a lot of time together,” he says. “I learned Spanish through some friends, and plan to visit them in Colombia next year!” Him being active within the International Student Association helped him meet other international students who could relate to his study abroad experience.

Lewis University makes post-study work opportunities for international students like Kim possible through the university’s career services. “During Year 3, I attended the Career Fair, and interviewed with four companies. A few weeks later, I was offered an internship that I was able to take because of the Curricular Practical Training (CPT) employment that Lewis permits,” he shares.

“While studying for my MS degree, I maintained my CPT internship and was able to keep working all through my MS degree. I am now working full-time at the same company developing models for business data.”

Lewis University champions innovation for their students and graduates. Source: Lewis University

Amina Daruja

Daughter of an airline pilot, Amina Daruja was naturally fascinated with the physics of flight and decided to pursue a BS in Aviation and Aerospace Technology at Lewis University. “I remember seeing the casing removed from a Boeing 737 engine, and was amazed by what I saw. I could not believe that people had the technical ability to create something like this,” Daruja shares.

Known for their aviation programmes, the university is home to top-notch facilities, such as the US$2 million high-tech Harold A. White Aviation Centre. It is only the only university aviation programme in Illinois with an on-site airport. Certified by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the Aerospace Technology programme requires hand-on lab courses, making it experiential by design.

“The aviation department at Lewis has students of all ages, genders, and nationalities. We all recognised the same attraction to this type of education and potential employment options in Chicago. So we all helped each other out through the process, especially with job recommendations,” shares the aerospace technology student.

Similar to Kim, Daruja is also starting her Optional Practical Training (OPT) after graduating this May. She will start at a local company that designs and tests fly-by-wire control systems. The International Student Services helped her with her OPT application and made sure she submitted all the required documents to receive a successful authorisation. “It’s a complicated process, so I am thankful that they helped me with it all,” she says.

Daruja’s favourite aspect about studying in Illinois was the university’s strategic location. “Chicago is the perfect place to study about the aviation industry because it’s a major transportation network in North America. So my favourite part was the high number of potential employers in this area,” Daruja adds.

She was able to obtain an FAA licence in Airframe and Powerplant rating, giving her access to FAA jobs around the world. “I really want to work for one of the large aerospace companies, such as Boeing, Airbus, SpaceX, so I know I am starting my career now and who knows what direction it will take me,” she says.

Krishna Reddy Vivek

Krishna Reddy Vivek graduated with an MS in Data Science and is currently working as a data mining analyst in the US. “Lewis has an MSDS that can teach the skills I need to analyse and interpret large data sets,” he says. “We learned how data mining and machine learning algorithms are now utilised in detecting cyber-attacks.”

Vivek was quick to take advantage of experiential learning opportunities. Within three months of arriving in the US, he already had a head start of starting his CPT in his first semester. “I had friends who were already employed at a Chicago company and they recommended that I apply,” shares the master’s student.

“Lewis lets students incorporate CPT into the Senior Capstone project, so my employment could help me in my courses and my final project.”

Despite being an international student, Vivek had no issues getting a hang of things. “The graduate courses at Lewis are filled primarily with international students. I could learn among peers, who understood the challenges of studying in a new country. I felt at home, even though I was in a totally new place!” he shares.

For Vivek, life in Illinois felt like a home away from home and he still felt strongly connected to his culture even from miles away. “There is a large Indian population in the Chicago suburbs. There are Indian grocery stores and restaurants,” Vivek says. “So you do not feel alone.”