An international student from Ghana, Addo was used to coursework that was strictly focused on on a student’s major, and for her that meant processing the world through data and numbers.

“Most of what I learned in school before IC was just memorizing what the teacher told the class,” she explained. As a computer science and physics major at IC, she was surprised to find herself exploring religion, ethics and literature while also taking courses in physics and computer science. She was even more shocked at how much she enjoyed seeing the world through a new lens.

The recent Phi Beta Kappa graduate already has a jump start on a career as a computer programmer at Dot Foods in Mt. Sterling, Illinois, where she interned for two years. Her ability to draw on a variety of disciplines to problem-solve has paid off in a professional field where she faces daily challenges that require critical thinking and innovative solutions. Addo plans to attend graduate school in the future and says one of her biggest takeaways from Illinois College was gaining a love of learning.

“Having learned so much from different professors and being exposed to so many different things at IC makes me really excited to keep growing and learning more,” said Addo. “I feel less sure about where I will be in the future, but having so many possibilities is exciting to me now.”