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An international student’s story. 

Kirti is now a graduate student at Northwestern University. Photo from Study in the USA. 

Kirti Kewalramani grew up in the bustling city of Bangkok. But when she moved to Chicago, she was still overwhelmed by the sights and sounds of the city.

"I thought my biggest accomplishment was just getting to the UIC campus," she said. "Looking back, I realize that it was just the beginning of endless opportunities ahead."

At UIC, she majored in political science and joined the Delta Xi Phi Multicultural Sorority, which she became vice president for. Both experiences led her to champion causes that support women’s advancement through higher ed and increase multicutural awareness. She also interned with the Illinois Senate Democratic Victory Fund, an opportunity that she discovered through UIC Careers. 

Those opportunities allowed her to eventually work on the election campaign for Senator Tom Cullerton.

“The journey to Chicago transformed me from a wide-eyed freshman into an experienced political staffer,” Kirti said. “I still have a long way to go, but UIC has opened new opportunities and moved my career in the right direction.”