Casting call: UIC to be featured on Amazon Prime series ‘The College Tour’

UIC students can audition online through Feb. 5 to be featured on an upcoming episode of the Amazon Prime series “The College Tour” that will highlight the student experience at the University of Illinois Chicago.

Film crews will visit campus this March for production of the UIC episode of the Amazon Prime series, which highlights colleges and universities through the stories of their students. Each 30-minute episode features 10 students and spotlights the facets of students’ lives on campus through their activities inside and outside of the classroom.

UIC was selected to be featured on the show based on its unique mission, history, location and diverse student body. In a competitive landscape with more challenges than ever for universities, UIC’s continued growth has defied current trends.

“UIC has undergone dramatic change for many years and is emerging as a powerhouse of opportunity, so it is a great time to tell the world our story,” said Maureen Woods, executive director of strategic recruitment and outreach. “As much as we’ve grown in size or recognition, we maintain our core values of access and inclusion. ‘The College Tour’ is the perfect place to highlight our exceptional students, academic programs, state-of-the-art facilities, and vibrant student life experience: The biggest challenge will be showcasing the magnitude of this institution in 30 minutes.”

The show emerged as a result of the pandemic, said host Alex Boylan.

“The idea for ‘The College Tour’ TV series came to me from my 16-year-old niece. Because of the pandemic and finances, she wasn’t able to travel to tour colleges,” Boylan said. “So using our skills as executive producers we created a series inspired by her and millions of other young people who are interested in attending college.”