THURSDAY March 16, 2017
THE DAILY ILLINI
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The independent student newspaper at the University of Illinois since 1871
WWW.DAILYILLINI.COM
Vol. 146 Issue 49
Thank you for reading MASAKI SUGIMOTO Editor-in-Chief
I
vividly remember The Daily Illini info session I attended as a freshman. I sat in the middle of Room 100 of Greg Hall, alone, confused and completely unsure if I even wanted to be a journalism major. I had been in the state for less than a month after leaving my home in sunny San Diego for central Illinois. I hadn’t even seen snow yet. It never crossed my mind that three and a half years later I would find myself writing this goodbye column in my last paper as the editor-in-chief of The Daily Illini. The past year has been crazy. The Cubs won the World Series, a new chancellor was named, there was a shooting in the heart of campus and so much more. Through the ups and downs, the DI has worked tirelessly to cover it. That hard work was recognized as the best in the state. We won the Illinois College Press Association awards for General Excellence and Best Online News Site. A total of 28 awards were given to the DI, with 11 of those being first place awards. This has been a testament to the dedication of the DI staff. Thank you to the people who work at the DI and inspire me everyday. They have immense talent, an unbelievable work ethic and different backgrounds and circumstances that stack the odds against them. No matter what, they have persevered to make sure we get the information out to you, the reader. And finally, a thank you to the readers. You are the reason we work so hard. We try our best to bring you the truth. Just know that the DI is a place of learning. Everyone here is learning to become better journalists. There will be mistakes and mishaps, but we are still dedicated to serving the public. Try your best to help the DI, with constructive criticism, phone calls, emails and whatever else you can to help us get better. I have no doubt the strong tradition will continue during the next year. At 5 p.m. on Friday, Lillian Barkley will be taking over as editor-in-chief. I know she will do an amazing job, and her team will take the DI to new heights. I’ll leave you with a quote from Roger Ebert, renowned film critic and former DI editorin-chief. It sums up my philosophy for my work at the DI for the past four years. “What I believe is that all clear-minded people should remain two things throughout their lifetimes: Curious and teachable.” Thanks for reading.
PORTRAIT OF DAISY ALONSO BY RYAN FANG
Daisy Alonso’s family did not understand her choice to begin school at the University. She is the first in her family to go away for college.
First-generation students speak out STAFF WRITER
Daisy Alonso’s extended family doesn’t talk to her about her education at the University. Whenever she goes home and sees them, they are cold to her about it. “I don’t wanna say they weren’t supportive,” she said. “But, even today, they don’t wanna hear about it.” The sophomore in AHS experienced something common for many first-generation students: a lack of understanding or support from their families in regards to pursuing their education far from home. Alonso’s older siblings attended community college. While Alonso’s parents wanted her to do the same, they remain supportive of her choice to attend the University. “I said no, because I saw my
SEE FIRST GEN | 3A
of funding to grow, and insist this plan will ensure they continue to University President Timothy award 85 percent of it to Illinois Killeen unveiled a “new financial students. aid commitment” Wednesday at The amount of financial aid the Board of Trustees meeting. the University awards is at an The only problem is: it’s not all-time high, Wilson said, but really new. state money is needed in order The plan that would promise to “sustain and grow that.” Illito award $170 million in financial nois is second to New Jersey in aid to Illinois residents is part the number of students lost to colof a bill that would secure state leges in other states. funding for the University of Illi“We know for a fact that stunois system. The dents who are $170 million figad mit ted to ure represents the University 85 percent of of Illinois and the $200 million don’t come to awarded to all the University students. of Illinois often However, sometimes don’t K i l leen a nd come because Executive Vice of financial aid President Barpackages being bara Wilson insufficient, so acknowledged we want to fill that in-state stuthat gap because dents already every one of TIMOTHY KILLEEN receive about 85 those situations UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT percent, or $170 is a loss for the million, of finanstate,” Killeen cial aid. said. “What we’re The “Investcommitting is to continue that, ment in Illinoisans,” or Triple and as we grow the pie, continue I, program, will be attached to that commitment of 85 percent,” the Investment, Performance Wilson said. and Accountability CommitFinancial aid comes from a ment plan the state legislature mix of sources, including state is considering. and private money. Wilson and Killeen expect the total amount SEE FINANCIAL AID | 3A STAFF WRITER
The U.S. population
16.66 percent
83.33 percent BERCHAM KAMBER THE DAILY ILLINI SOURCE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food insecurity creates silent problem for University students BY JESSICA BURSZTYNSKY STAFF WRITER
The Cat’s Meow: Illini Cat Club breeds for competition
Alongside the University’s efforts to combat high levels of food waste, there also is a growing push to end student hunger. An estimated 2 to 5 percent of University students face problems of food insecurity while on campus, said Dawn Aubrey, associate director of housing for dining. Aubrey defines food insecurity as the lack of access to the healthy and sustainable food needed for an active lifestyle. “There ended up being more of a light shined on it (food insecuri-
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Malcom Hill gives Illinois his all PAGE 1B
DAILYILLINI, DAILYILLINISPORTS 2A
her, she would say I could come home, which wasn’t what I needed or wanted to hear.” She also felt at a disadvantage, as many first-generation students do. Asking questions made her feel clueless at first, especially surrounded by a majority of second-, third- and even fourth-generation college peers. “I didn’t know what I didn’t know,” she said. “I felt stupid for asking questions, because I didn’t have the right information going into college.” Diaz, now the assistant director of La Casa Cultural Latina at the University, noted that first-generation college students are often minorities. In what La Casa calls a “predominately white institution,” some minority students can feel
BY ANGELICA LAVITO
INSIDE
Police
would help. It was more about what I was doing right and wrong. Nobody was there to tell me that.” Even after three semesters of college, Fajardo still feels impacted by his first-generation status. “I’m still learning how to guide myself through college (by) myself,” he said. “I see other people not struggling, but I am with (college). But I guess they have other people to help them, they have some type of leverage (over) me.” For Araceli Diaz, stepping onto a college campus for the first time as an undergraduate felt incredibly overwhelming. Diaz knows firsthand that being a first-generation college student comes with more challenges. “My mom would have rathered that I went to a community college,” Diaz said. “When I called
New name, same aid
Food insecurity nationally Nationally, 1 in 6 adults have inadequate access to enough food.
msugimo2@dailyillini.com
INSIDE
brother and sisters struggle,” she said. “After, (my mom) understood, and she was supportive still.” College students whose parents didn’t attend college can face adverse challenges when they attend school. These first-generation students are achieving a milestone by being among the first in their family to attend school, but there are some aspects of college that they don’t expect. David Fajardo, sophomore in DGS, knows what it’s like to feel overwhelmed as a first-generation student. He had to coach himself through the college application process on his own, without his family or their personal experiences to guide him. “I couldn’t go to my parents about my major or the process or FAFSA,” he said. “I would ask guidance counselors, and they
BY ANDREA FLORES
ty), because there were some studies that were performed,” Aubrey said. “The reality is that (the issue) is very quiet.” A study conducted by the University’s School of Social Work surveyed 781 students, with 176 responding they have experienced a lack of food. Two hundred and forty students responded that they know other students who have trouble finding meals. In Champaign County, 16.3 percent of households have trouble providing food.
SEE INSECURITY | 3A
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