Humanities in Action Scholars 2024–25
We CU, Humanities Research Institute Announce 2024–25 Humanities in Action Scholars
We CU and the Humanities Research Institute (HRI) are proud to announce the 2024–2025 Humanities in Action scholars. The new cohort—composed of five students from the colleges of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Applied Health Sciences, and Media—will begin the program in fall 2024.
Now in its third year, the Humanities in Action program (HIA) aims to remove some of the financial barriers that prevent undergraduate humanities students from taking advantage of community engagement opportunities.
Selected by a competitive application process, HIA scholars are then matched—through the Community Learning Lab in the School of Social Work—with a community partner to address a vital area of need in the Champaign-Urbana community. The students will also attend workshops to strengthen their community partnerships and build connections with like-minded peers, and will learn more about HRI’s opportunities and the broader community of humanists at Illinois.
Join us in congratulating this talented group of students!
MEET THE SCHOLARS
Alexandra Carbajal (class of 2026) is majoring in speech and hearing science with a concentration in speech-language pathology and a minor in Spanish. She is an intern at The Autism Program (TAP), where she participates in play group programs and creates visual resources for individuals on the autism spectrum. She also volunteers at two elementary schools: as a student teacher aide at the International Prep Academy, the Champaign Unit 4 school district’s only whole-building dual language program, and also as a mentor at Urbana's Dr. Preston L. Williams Jr. Elementary (as part of the student organization Illini Mentor Program). As the bilingual daughter of two Mexican-immigrant parents, Alexandra is passionate about bridging the gap of support for multilingual students in the education system. Her goal is to become a bilingual speech-language pathologist, providing support to students and their families to navigate language barriers, improve communication skills, and offer appropriate resources.
Courtney Dillon (class of 2025) is an LAS James Scholar majoring in pre-law: sociology and journalism, with minors in political science and criminology, law, and society. She currently serves as president of a campus organization called Women of Color, which was recently awarded the Strive Together Award from the Women's Resources Center (WRC), and Ebony Excellence Award for Registered Student Organization (RSO) of the Year by the Bruce D. Nesbitt African American Cultural Center. Courtney also serves as the risk manager of Kappa Alpha Pi Pre-Law Professional Fraternity, and has both interned and serves as a peer educator at the WRC. After graduation, she plans to pursue a master's degree in social work and then attend law school, with the goal of becoming a civil rights or criminal defense attorney. Passionate about racial equity and social justice work, she is excited to begin Humanities in Action so she can participate in advocacy and community engagement opportunities.
Jimena López (class of 2026) is majoring in Spanish with a minor in legal studies and anthropology. She has been volunteering at non-profit organization The Immigration Project since her freshman year, working as an interpreter for attorneys and their clients, submitting documents for clients, overseeing applications for economic assistance, and helping with anything else that is needed. She has also volunteered on behalf of the organization at the annual Christie Clinic Race. Jimena is part of Chicago Scholars, an organization that helps students from Chicago succeed post-high school. On campus, she is a part of the university's Undergraduate Moot Court Team will be serving as president for the upcoming year. She passionately supports DACA because its recipients, Dreamers, demonstrate that dreams recognize no borders.
Victoria Martinez (class of 2026) is majoring in English and political science (international relations). She is a founding member and membership coordinator of the Illinois Global Review Journal, an RSO dedicated to reporting on global issues through op-eds. She is also an Illini Tower resident advisor and an active member of the English Student Association and the Women's Undergraduate Law Society. As a first-generation college/law school student, she hopes to help people of a similar background. Victoria is passionate about giving back to the community and helping other Hispanic students pursue higher education. She is studying international relations because she wants to embrace other cultures and support those who are underrepresented on a global scale.
Lillian Webb (class of 2026) is majoring in history and anthropology with a minor in integrative biology. She is a member of a fraternity for the biological sciences, Beta Psi Omega, and serves as the social media chair for the Society for Minority Students in history. Lillian hopes to continue the mission of the Humanities in Action program of helping to end financial barriers faced by students and community members, and especially wants to focus her efforts towards addressing the disproportionate effect poverty has on women.