Inspiring grad: Kayla Pilgrim
Just a few days before her 19th birthday, Kayla Pilgrim will have another reason to celebrate: She will be a proud UIC graduate.
She’ll finish her undergraduate degree earlier than most after fast-tracking her schooling with Advanced Placement and dual-credit classes at J. Sterling Morton West High School, where she graduated at age 16. Then she completed her associate degree in a year at Morton College. She transferred to UIC in the summer of 2023, helped by UIC’s Transfer Admission Guarantee partnership with Morton College, and enrolled in classes for five consecutive semesters.
“Transferring to UIC was one of the best decisions I’ve made, and I am proud to be a student of such a beautifully diverse university,” said Pilgrim, an Honors College student who graduates Dec. 13 with a bachelor’s degree in political science from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
Pilgrim is the oldest of four children and the first in her family to go to college. When researching colleges, she was impressed with the number of campus resources at UIC dedicated to student success and belonging.
“Before I came to UIC, I checked UIC Connection, and I was astounded by how many pages there were of student organizations,” she said. “And I was like, this is the place that has an option for everyone, a path for everyone.”
Pilgrim made her mark on campus through her involvement with several UIC organizations. As director of communications for the Student Advocacy Coalition at UIC, she helped amplify students’ voices and advocacy for affordability, accessibility and equity in higher education. Each spring semester, the group hosts a Lobby Day at the state capitol in Springfield where students can speak directly to legislators.
Through her work with the Latin American Recruitment and Educational Services program, Pilgrim has strengthened her leadership skills as part of the UIC LARES Leaders Academy and found academic support through the program’s tutoring and advising services.
“LARES has been essential in helping me find my place here at UIC,” she said.
Pilgrim also credits the University of Illinois System’s Office of External Relations and Communications, the Writing Center and the UIC Centers for Cultural Understanding and Social Change as being resources critical to her success at UIC.
“The cultural centers on campus are a great space,” she said. “Whether you just want to study or hang out with friends, they’re really accepting and inviting, and I’ve found myself going to them often.”
As a fellow for the Institute for Policy and Civic Engagement’s Urban Public Policy Fellowship, Pilgrim focused her research on the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and ways to empower Latino voters.
“When it comes to electoral participation, a lot of people may feel disconnected from government, and I find that disconnectedness and that disregard for the power of our voices especially prevalent among underrepresented communities,” Pilgrim said. “There’s a real power to be found when a person comes upon that realization that their voice can make a difference.”
She’s also completed internships with the Illinois State Board of Education and State Rep. Abdelnasser Rashid.
“Being able to juggle all of those things — research, classes and my internships — made me stronger, and that’s something that I’ll continue to carry with me post-grad,” she said.
After celebrating her graduation and her birthday with her family, Pilgrim plans to find work in politics related to public affairs and advocacy. Later she wants to pursue a master’s degree in public administration, with the goal of increasing civic participation among underrepresented communities.
“I think that’s a passion of mine that will never end, no matter where I end up,” she said. “Being a student at UIC, being able to interact with people who have very different walks of life, has definitely enriched my experience. I’m going to take the experiences and skills that I’ve gained and hold onto that and apply it to the future spaces that I’m in.”
