Wort wouldn’t trade the experience for anything

By Melanie Cain

When Kara Wort was looking for a college, several deciding factors led her to UIS. The first and biggest selling point was the Capital Scholars program. Kara realized that taking part in the inaugural class of an honors program would be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and a huge benefit down the road.

Kara liked the fact that UIS offered the first class of Cap Scholars some financial aid that allowed them to take a chance on this new program, and says she found the staff in the financial aid office to be extremely helpful when it came to dealing with scholarships and other financial issues.

Another thing that Kara enjoyed was UIS’ small class sizes. She realized that by taking classes with a just few other students, she could get a lot more out of her classes. “I knew it would allow me to develop closer bonds with the faculty, as well as with fellow students,” says Kara.

After choosing UIS as her destination, Kara set some basic goals for herself, hoping that in accomplishing them she would be preparing herself for life after graduation. “I was hoping to get a well-rounded liberal arts education at UIS and maintain a good G.P.A. in the process,” she says. Kara also wanted to network with different business professionals in the community.

Kara did a fine job working toward these goals. She maintained a strong G.P.A., both as a Communication student and in the Capital Scholars Honors program, and she was a member and secretary of the first-ever communication honor society at UIS, Lambda Pi Eta.

Kara also took advantage of the Applied Study program, serving a communication-based internship with a local business. It was an experience she enjoyed and she not only learned valuable skills, but walked away with some solid business relationships as well.

Above all, Kara values the education she received at UIS. “Most importantly, I got a great education from people who were knowledgeable on many different subject matters,” she says. Like many others who have attended UIS, Kara feels that one of the best aspects of the university is the people she met during her four years on campus. “The relationships I developed with friends and faculty and the memories I’ve made will be treasured my whole life. I wouldn’t trade the experiences I had at UIS for anything” she says.

Kara earned her bachelor’s degree in Communication in May 2005 as a member of UIS’ first graduating class of Capital Scholars. She is currently interviewing for jobs in the Springfield area and would eventually like to get her master’s degree once she settles into a full-time position.

Do you have a great story about your experiences at UIS? If you’d like to share your thoughts, please feel free to email me at mcain02s@uis.edu.