Senior Na-On (IC) Weeraklaew followed in the footsteps of her brother, Kam ’14, and chose to attend Illinois State University as an actuarial science major.
“My family and I knew so much about the major and the Honors Program that there was really no reason not to come to ISU,” Weeraklaew said.
The younger Weeraklaew also welcomed the enrichment she knew she would find within the Honors Program.
“There are a lot of advantages to being an Honors student, like being on the Honors floor, getting to know people, and the activities that the Honors Program offers,” Weeraklaew says.
One of the Themed Living-Learning Communities at Illinois State is Honors House. Weeraklaew found friends on her floor who shared many of the same interests and academic pursuits.
“Freshman year on the Honors floor was a great transition to college,” Weeraklaew says. “It’s a nice way to make friends. My Honors RA had so many events planned for us like eating together at Watterson, movie nights and my favorite, UNO night!”
Weeraklaew pauses from painting during her recent service learning trip to Winder, Georgia.
In 2015, Weeraklaew had the opportunity to participate in the first Honors Alternative Spring Break (ASB) trip. She volunteered with Barrow County Habitat for Humanity in Winder, Georgia. Weeraklaew says going on ASB was “the best experience I have ever had at ISU.” Some of her favorite memories of the trip include waking up early to watch the sunrise with the other students, nightly bonfires, and painting houses with other students while listening to music.
Weeraklaew now considers affordable housing a significant social justice issue, and she plans to become involved in Habitat for Humanity when she returns to Thailand.
“Overall, the whole trip is a great memory to me,” she said. “I am excited to go on the Alternative Spring Break trip with the Honors Program again this year.”
