Sophie Elliott

Sophie Elliott is a biomedical engineering major from Harvard, IL

Hometown: Harvard, IL

Year: Expected graduation: May 2026

What scholarships did you receive and why did you receive them? How has the financial support impacted your experience at NIU?
I received an NIU merit scholarship and an Honors Excellence Scholarship. I received my NIU merit scholarship because I took advantage of early application season as an incoming freshman, and the Honors Excellence Scholarship because of my participation and commitment to the program. The financial support takes part of the burden of worrying about money away. Because of my awards, I can focus more on my classes and worry about other things.

What did you want to be when you were growing up? Are you pursuing that as a major, or have you taken another path?
As a kid, I wanted to work as a nurse or an architect. I guess I'm doing something related to both of those as a biomedical engineer, allowing my interest in science and creativity to coalesce into my major.

What is your major (and/or minor) and why did you decide on this course of study?
Biomedical engineering. I decided on it because I love learning about science, and I get to work in the amazing facilities at the College of Engineering and Engineering Technology (CEET). I get the opportunity to develop projects with the other people in CEET and learn about how this field can be used to help those in need.

What has been something you have found pleasantly surprising about your experience at NIU?
I love the people at NIU. The professors and TAs are pleasant to work with, and a lot of them are very passionate about the work that they do and will happily answer any questions students have. The other students are also so fun to talk to, and everyone has a different story to tell.

How have you connected with other students to study for classes, meet new people or form new friendships?
I live on the engineering floor, so everyone I live around is doing similar work to me. It's nice to have people with shared experiences so close to me. I also attended some NIU events that led me to the friendships I have now, as well as to create some new memories.

Are you involved in any student organizations, mentoring programs or extra-curricular activities? If so, which ones? How have they added to your experience as a Huskie?
I am on the executive board of the Multiracial Student Union, which is very new this year because I am helping create it. It started as a research project by one of the faculty here and grew into a few of us bonding over our experiences. I'm very grateful to be working with the people I do to create an accepting space for multiracial students.

What NIU offices, departments or resources have helped you succeed? And how?
The University Honors Program office was super helpful to me to guide me through my first year of university. I was given a lot of structured resources and opportunities to make new friends. I also used the Counseling and Consultation Services for a while, which helped with my transition from home.

What Honors Program opportunities or support have helped you get closer to your academic or career goals so far?
The honors advisors are very helpful and resourceful with helping me set my schedule to meet my goals while not overwhelming myself. I've been given access to career tools and events to connect with other people in my field through the program.

What do you enjoy the most about the Honors Program?
What I like most about the Honors Program is the friendly people in the office in the Peters Building. There are sometimes events in there that I like to go to, and the lounge is very cozy and a great place to get work done.

Who has been one of your favorite instructors/professors and why? What course did they teach?
One of my favorite instructors is Dr. Heather Bergan-Roller, who taught my intro BIOS class. She had a teaching style that required collaboration, and I made some great friends by talking to the people in my group. Dr. B knows a lot about biology, and she is great at communicating her knowledge to students in a meaningful way.

How have you benefited by attending class regularly?
I think attending class regularly can be a huge struggle in college, and I've definitely fallen into skipping class every once in a while. But when I go to class, I'm able to get a deeper understanding of the material and know what to study for exams and quizzes.

Where is your favorite spot on campus or in the community? Why are you drawn to it?
My favorite spot in DeKalb is Cast Iron Coffee. I have been going there frequently since before I even started school at NIU, and it is such a cute little spot with great staff and some super-tasty drinks. They offer student discounts on Fridays and some study events near finals, which is a huge plus! The vibe in there is unmatched, and I love the cozy feeling I get going in.

What advice would you give to a student who is researching colleges to apply to?
Take advantage of early application! You could get some extra scholarship money that you otherwise wouldn't have been awarded, and it also is a way to be proactive and plan out what kind of school would be the best fit for you.

Why is a college education important to you?
College is a really important time for a lot of people in making strong connections and preparing you for what career you want to pursue. A lot of universities have abundant resources for career prep like job fairs, resume workshops, mock interviews, etc. For me personally, getting to work in labs at a university is really fun and allows me to get some hands-on experience doing what I love.

What strategies do you use to manage your time between the responsibilities of school, work, friends and family?
It can definitely be a struggle to manage everything in a college student's life, but I think living on campus has been a huge help to focus on school. I'm able to get more involved in my community and do things like go to office hours or study in a quiet place more easily than I could at home. It's important to me to get my work done during the week so I can spend intentional time with my family or friends and not worry about my homework while doing so.

How do you stay informed about events and services that are available on campus?
I follow the NIU Instagram as well as a lot of organizations that I'm interested in to see what kind of events are happening on campus. CEET emails some flyers for events that are happening within the college so I can see if there is a career fair, a company visit, guest lecture, etc.

What do you do to relax or recharge?
I like to read and grab a tasty drink to relax. I also like to go to the gym and play video games in my free time. When I have a long break, I like to paint or do something creative.

Please tell us about your job and hobbies.
I really enjoy being creative and painting or drawing. I think it's something everyone can benefit from. Nowadays, people live such busy lives and have so much untapped creativity that they can use to express their emotions and focus on something slow and helpful to your mind.

Is there anything else you'd like to share about your NIU Huskie story?
I transferred in a lot of classes to NIU even though I entered as a freshman. I took a dual credit class, took advantage of APs and took classes at McHenry County College before I graduated high school, and it helped to get me ahead in my degree. I also took summer classes at College of Lake County to have less to worry about the following fall. I'm now able to work more on my engineering-related classes and not worry so much about gen eds.