Three students working in a lab wearing face masks

Elevate

More in Elevate

You need real-world experiences that will launch you into a great career—and we guarantee that you will have access to take part in experiences such as internships, research, study away, competitions, and more. Plus, you want personal mentorship and the confidence to land a great job.

Illinois Tech’s one-of-a-kind Elevate initiative ensures that we will make your success and your life our top priority. Make your dream a reality.

Your Elevate Journey

How does our Elevate promise work? Here’s a step-by-step guide describing how we’ll chart your pathway to success.

Student working on equipment

1. Take Part in Hands-on Experiences

  • Sign the Elevate agreement.
  • Internships, research, study away, competitions—find the best experience for you.
  • Then participate in at least two guaranteed Elevate experiences as an Illinois Tech undergraduate.*
Adviser speaking to student

2. Receive Personalized Mentorship

  • You’ll receive continued guidance from career advisers, academic mentors, and more.
  • We’ll help you plan everything from your university coursework to your career pathway. This includes connecting you with high-value professional experiences and networking opportunities that will supercharge your career.
student graduating holding up diploma

3. Become Career Ready

  • With a great education and real-world experiences under your belt, you’ll confidently launch into the career you’ve been planning.

* Terms and conditions apply. For instance, students must maintain good academic standing with Illinois Tech and meet Elevate initiative requirements to remain eligible.

Experience Is the Difference

91%

Of Employers Seek Job Candidates with Work Experience

(National Association of Colleges and Employers)

80%

Average Percent of Eligible Interns Who Receive a Job Offer

(National Association of Colleges and Employers)

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From Hyperloop to an Internship...Up Next, the Stars

Jonte’ Williams says one of the best things about Illinois Tech and hands-on experiences is expanding on what he knows—and, most importantly, what he doesn’t know.

Jonte’ Williams (ASPY/PHYS 3rd Year)
Maggie Barclay profile facing left
Real-World Experience

Coursework in artificial intelligence helped Maggie Barclay secure an internship with IBM, where she developed skills to achieve her long-term goals in the field.

Maggie Barclay (AI/M.A.S. AI ’22)
Barien Gad, spring 2021 SoReMo fellow
Building a Better Community

Providing more access to free menstrual hygiene products will reduce stress and anxiety throughout a menstruating population, as well as increase consistency in classroom attendance

Barien Gad (BCHM 3rd Year)
Photo of student Victoria Belotti
Global Exposure

A summer abroad in Scotland allowed Victoria Belotti to learn more about Scottish history, culture, and politics through visiting the places and cities where these events occurred.

Victoria Belotti (Applied Mathematics/Statistics/M.S. CDSOR 2nd Year)
Photo of Greta Vasiliauskaite
Determination to Succeed

While navigating Illinois Tech as a DACA student, Greta Vasiliauskaite gained real-world skills through an internship with an engineering consulting firm.

Greta Vasiliauskaite (CE/M.Eng. ENVE 3rd Year)
Laasya Devi Annepureddy
A Drive to Help People

Laasya Devi Annepureddy uses undergraduate research opportunities to contribute to more equitable health solutions.

Laasya Devi Annepureddy (BME ’22)
Students working in the Idea Shop

Experiences Await

Current Illinois Tech students, check out the extensive list of Elevate experiences for from which to choose.

View Opportunities
Seth Graham - TY Page

Life-changing Internship

Mechanical engineering/M.Eng. mechanical and aerospace engineering student Seth Graham explains how an exciting internship at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and an Illinois Tech education put him on a trajectory for his dream job.

Experience in Action

DMG Mori machine 1280x850

DMG MORI

A partnership with the global innovation company DMG MORI allows students to use professional digital-manufacturing equipment and get practical, hands-on experience right on campus.

Grainger Computing Innovation 3rd Prize winners H2.0 Resilience

Grainger Computing Innovation Prize

This exciting competition at Illinois Tech challenges students to discover creative technology solutions to some of the most pressing global issues facing the world.

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Design/Build

Architecture students in the Design/Build studio receive hands-on experience in designing, fabricating, and building a structure with a community, with projects taking them around the world. A project in Chile won the Roberta Feldman Architecture for Social Justice Award Citation of Merit.

Photo of Marissa Redington

Got Skills?

Our Elevate program guarantees that you’ll have access to take part in amazing internship, study away, research, and other experiences that will teach you twenty-first century skills. You’ll practice creativity, problem solving, design thinking, innovation, and teamwork—and connect the dots between your education and the real-world skills employers seek.

See What Marissa Learned
Female recruiter speaking to Illinois Tech student at career fair

Graduate with Confidence

A national survey of college students shows that students who held internships, and those who took part in career preparation activities such as networking and social-capital building, graduate feeling more confident in their workplace skills and career plans than students who did not. (Strada Center for Education Consumer Insights)

“The Elevate [initiative] stood out because it emphasized internship access, real professional experience, and a clear pathway to develop industry-ready skills. After I arrived, I discovered even more opportunities that reinforced that decision, including hands-on teams such as EcoCAR, engineering organizations, and development groups. Those experiences ended up aligning perfectly with my ambitions.”

—Danish Nadar (AI/M.A.S. AI 3rd Year)

“Having an internship at a startup company allows you to have a real impact. You may be working with the CEO or founder of the company and get to see what it's like at a young company.”

—Marissa Redington (Biomedical Engineering/M.S. Biomedical Engineering 2nd Year)

“Being in Chicago made internship and professional opportunities more accessible, with hundreds of positions downtown just a short train ride from campus. My internship at a world-class company, Exelon, was one of the most valuable experiences of my life and led to my job after graduation.”

—Miles Thompson (Business Administration ’20), Associate Supply Business Operations Specialist, Exelon Corporation

"The Elevate initiative has a big impact on my educational and career endeavors, as it is tailor-made for me as a student. Industries want people with practical, real-life experiences. The career coach advises me on subjects related to my major and career goals to get a step ahead, help me get an internship, and build a strong path leading to my goals.”

—Archit Singh (BUIT 1st Year)

Contact Elevate

Email

elevate@illinoistech.edu

Other Contact Info

For students, families, staff, and faculty: elevate@illinoistech.edu
For corporate partners: corporate.relations@illinoistech.edu

Department Type

Administrative