I'm excited to launch the CITL Student Quick Takes series, where I'll chat with fellow Illinois students about our learning journeys, course experiences, and career goals! Special thanks to Robert Baird, Senior Associate Director at CITL, for this opportunity and CITL’s support of student voices. 

In our first episode, we dive into the impact of GenAI in classes and career paths with two amazing guests: Arted Gjata (Integrative Biology) and Foziea Garada (Computer Science). Watch for shoutouts to GenAI projects in courses like Chem 332, CS 341 with Prof. Lawrence Angrave, and IE 421 with Prof. David Lariviere.

I'm excited to continue the CITL Student Quick Takes series, where I chat with fellow Illinois students about our learning journeys, course experiences, and career goals! A big thank you to CITL for this opportunity and for supporting student voices in these conversations. 

In our second episode, we explore how GenAI is shaping education, creativity, and the workplace with three amazing guests. Daisy Castro (Middle Grades Education / Social Science) shares how AI is influencing K-12 classrooms and what it means for future educators. Bruktawit Yigzaw (Advertising + Studio Art / Minor in Informatics) reflects on AI’s role in design and how artists are adapting to this evolving technology. Abby Brown (Psychology – Industrial/Organizational / Minor in Leadership Studies) discusses the impact of GenAI on Human Resources, from hiring processes to employee management.

In this fourth episode, we explore how students are using Generative AI in their academic and professional lives. From study partner to teaching assistant to debate sparring partner, GenAI is playing unexpected roles in student workflows. While it helps generate quiz questions, refine communication, and process information, students are also encountering its limits—especially with creativity, original thinking, and complex problem-solving. 

Ivan Akonya (Engineering and Transportation) challenges GenAI to think like a professor and critiques its oversimplifications while recognizing its future potential in managing transportation data. Delancy Xiao (Liberal Arts and Sciences and Communications) uses it for quizzes and prompts but finds it uninspiring for poetry and creative work. Rahsmika Kolleri (Business and Technology Management) applies it to case studies and skill-building, yet keeps a critical distance when it comes to math and brainstorming.

Coming soon!