Life + Career Design Lab
The LAS Life + Career Design Lab is a one-stop shop where students in the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences can explore their interests and questions on majors, career preparation, study abroad, undergraduate research and other life-designing and life-shaping activities.
Fall 2020 virtual advising
Our virtual lab is open each weekday from noon – 2pm via this Zoom link (password: LAS). If you prefer to set an appointment outside of those hours, please email the Life + Career Design Lab with your time and day preferences and a short description of what you would like to discuss. This information will help us pair you with an intern experienced in your needs.
Resources you'll find within the lab
Through the Life + Career Design Lab, you'll find:
- Professional staff dedicated to helping students navigate their Illinois experience, including study abroad, career development, and new-student transitions
- Computers and printers to access information on opportunities
- Wayfinding maps and other Life + Career Design tools
- Peer advising for study abroad, undergraduate research, and career planning
Kaly Gopalkrishna is a senior majoring in industrial-organizational psychology and English. She is involved in the Asian American Student Housing Association, Girl Up UNICEF, and the Undergraduate Psychology Association. As a hopeful HR professional, Kaly has worked as a people operations intern at Unite Us and as a tutor for English. She enjoys going on cafe crawls, andering around campus with friends, and eating sushi.
Maaz Haji is a junior majoring in molecular and cellular biology in the honors concentration and is also a James Scholar. An aspiring physician, he is the director of medicine at MEDLIFE, a non-profit, disaster and humanitarian relief organization. He is also an undergraduate research assistant in a genetics-based lab in the College of Veterinary Medicine. Maaz volunteers at the Northeast Community Food Bank and at Harbor Light Hospice. In his free time, he enjoys running, watching movies, and spending time with his friends and family.
Maddy Hopkins is a junior majoring in psychology and communication and is a Dean’s List scholar and an LAS 101 instructor. She spent her summer volunteering in her hometown by teaching swimming lessons; she is a certified lifeguard instructor as well. In her free time, Maddy enjoys cooking, hiking, and photography. She hopes to pursue a master’s degree in social work after graduation with the end goal of being a counselor.
Issy Marquez is a senior majoring in English, political science (law & power concentration), and Latina/o studies. She serves as James Scholar Peer Mentor Coordinator, Odyssey Project Intern, and LAS Hood Intern. She is the President of the Puerto Rico Student Association (PRSA), a mentor through Summit United, and a tutor through TutorDoctor Champaign. Issy plans to attend graduate school to pursue research in the humanities. In her free time, Issy loves hanging out with her reptiles, drinking coffee, and online shopping.
Sarah Matatovis a junior James Scholar and Chancellor’s Scholar majoring in biochemistry and intradisciplinary psychology with a certificate in computer science. In addition to being a Life + Career Design Lab intern, Sarah is an LAS 122 TA, a CS 125 course assistant, and an editor for "Brain Matters," the undergraduate neuroscience journal at Illinois. Sarah also works in Dr. Auinash Kalsotra's biochemistry lab as a research assistant; her project is focused on splicing events leading to myotonic dystrophy of the heart. In the future, Sarah hopes to pursue an MD-PhD in biochemistry to study the mechanisms of neurodegenerative disorders. In her free time, she loves to play soccer, go hiking, watch television, and spend time with friends.
Nandita Ravikumar is a senior majoring in statistics, minoring in computer science, and pursuing certificates in data science and technology commercialization. She has held corporate internships for actuarial, statistical programming, and consulting roles at firms ranging from insurance to health policy. After college, Nandita will be joining PwC full-time as a technology consulting associate for data and analytics. On campus, she is a project manager at Students Consulting for Nonprofit Organizations (SCNO), and in her free time she likes baking, painting, running, and watching movies with friends.
Resources beyond the lab
The lab is a physical space that encourages students to think like a designer when getting involved and preparing for the future. However, many of the lab’s experiences happen all over campus and around the world, including through:
- Classes and workshops
- Job search tools, including internships and career fairs
- Study abroad
- Undergraduate research
- Leadership activities
- Service opportunities
Get career advice from LAS alumni:
LAS alumni are pretty amazing people. A few offer advice on topics related to professional success. View more.
