Local Students in the News

The Chicago Tribune has an article about UIC today. Since they've built several new dorms over the past few years, this year is the first year that 50% of the freshman class are living on campus vs commuting.

They interviewed several new freshmen, among them a couple of local girls:

"They're making it more suburban," Melissa Niemann, 18, of Homer Glen said as she looked out Stukel Towers' 13th-floor windows to views of nearby Linens & Things, Dominick's and a DSW shoe store.

"Twenty years ago, it wouldn't have even been safe to live here," said her roommate, Crystal Rueck, 18, of Lockport.

Although not everyone seems to be welcoming the change:

"I guess it could turn into more of a typical university," said Rob Soltys, a senior who lives with his mother near Midway Airport. "I think we're going to see more of the Abercrombie & Fitch, Polo-wearing suburbanites. It's an OK thing. Our campus is so diverse that nobody is going to notice that kind of thing happening."