Testimonials

About Mediapalooza

“Mediapalooza was all I needed to put Illinois over the top in terms of the school I wanted to attend. I was blown away by the resources and opportunities presented at Mediapalooza. I’ve known since I was little what I want to do when I grow up, and the University of Illinois College of Media has given me everything I needed to get there thus far. I wouldn’t have even known about it all if it weren’t for Mediapalooza. The best part of Mediapalooza was getting introduced to many students and professors who make the College of Media feel like family. I’m truly grateful I attended Mediapalooza and I recommend it for any student who wants to know more.”
—Anthony, journalism, Class of 2022

"I wish to thank you and the students, professors, department heads and dean who all gave up their Saturday in an effort to convey the uniqueness of your program to the prospective students, and especially my daughter Caroline. Caroline came to campus with a curiosity and left with a desire to attend U of I. While she has been accepted to other universities, none have made the effort to make a small-town girl from Coronado, CA, feel 'at home.' I've never seen a major university convey the special attention your department did for students."
—Dennis, parent, Coronado, CA

“I am very happy to say that Zack accepted his admission to the U of I last night. After meeting and speaking with everyone involved with the College of Media, my husband and I were confident that this program was the right choice for Zack. With much consideration, we all agreed this would be a wonderful program for him to grow, learn, and truly explore his field, and we expect him to take full advantage of this opportunity. He is soooo excited!!!!”
—Tani, parent, Weston, FL

Charles H. Sandage Department of Advertising Majors

"The College of Media and the advertising staff have always been extremely proactive and supportive in making sure that I have the tools that I need to be successful, and more importantly, to pursue the things that I love to do. The connections that I've made with my academic advisor, advertising professors, and College of Media staff members are some of the most valuable relationships that I have and their support really makes me feel like a part of a community that cares about me and my experiences as a student. The advertising program at Illinois is unparalleled in its focus on creating a well-rounded, widely educated advertising professional with real-world experience. The course load is always manageable and encourages students to take classes across a wide variety of topics, which allows you to really learn about the things that you're interested in. The ability to experiment with my classes allowed me to take a painting class my first semester at Illinois at the suggestion of my advisor, and that class inspired me to pursue a minor in Art + Design, which I never considered would be something that I would want to do. I've even been able to almost complete that minor by the end of my sophomore year because those classes count towards my advertising degree, so I don't have to choose between the two. The American Advertising Federation at Illinois is also a great organization that gives students the opportunity to work with real clients and start building a portfolio of work early. I know that when the time comes I will be prepared to enter the workforce and have the experience that I need to start working at a job that I love right off the bat."
—Lincoln, Class of 2022, Advertising major

“I find it both exciting and interesting to study in the areas of coding, computational advertising, and its applications. It’s a very unique CS+X combination; I feel it offers exciting career prospects. Technology is ever-evolving and so is advertising. More and more companies are now moving from conventional offline media to more economical and effective online media, due to the various advantages it offers. By applying technology in the field of advertising, the results can have far-reaching effects in reaching the society at large, touching the target audience, and engaging them in various activities and promotions. It will help me to gain useful insights into the technology/advertising industry and imbibe the requisite skills and knowledge to remain competitive in the field.”
—Aniruddha, Class of 2023, CS+Advertising major

Hear what other Advertising and CS+Advertising majors have to say!

Journalism Major

“There's really no feeling like knowing you used your skills to tell someone's story that hasn't been told yet and hearing from sources how grateful they are for the reporting you did. Anyone whose goal is to create change through storytelling will love journalism at U of I.” 
—Carolina, Class of 2022

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Media & Cinema Studies Major

"As a senior in media and cinema studies, I want to share some of the things that have helped me become more involved with media at the university. As a freshman I wasn’t too involved because I didn’t know what I was supposed to be looking for. However, during my sophomore year I decided to become more involved and I applied to work at the Media Commons, which allows me to gain more experience with technology while helping others use these resources. I also became more involved by joining RSOs like Illini Film and Video that gave me a space to share my passion with other people. The important thing to keep in mind is that if you look for something that sparks your interest, you’ll probably find it."
—Jennifer, Class of 2022

Hear what other media and cinema studies majors have to say!