Library News
Booth Library Student Worker EIU Newsletter Features
Posted on May 12th, 2026
Recently, two Booth Library student workers were featured in EIU newsletters to share their journeys and successes as students at Eastern Illinois University. Savannah Newcomer is a freshman student who began working at Booth Library this spring semester, while Ella Aly just graduated EIU in the class of 2026. Here are their stories:
The Eastern Illinois University Advantage: Outcomes That Matter, Relationships That Last
May-05-2026
Like many at EIU, Savannah Newcomer’s journey reflects the power of connection-driven, individualized success.
(Charleston, IL) – At Eastern Illinois University, student success is more than a goal—it’s a lived experience shaped by connection, opportunity, and outcomes that prepare graduates to lead meaningful lives. For freshman Savannah Newcomer, that experience is taking shape in powerful ways.
As a child, Savannah’s connection to EIU was solidified through conversations with her aunt—an EIU alumna.
“She shared her positive Eastern experience with me, which inspired my interest in attending EIU from an early age,” Savannah says. “And I’ve found as a student it’s exactly what she described—a unique sense of connection and community that just doesn’t exist at other schools like it does at EIU.” Savannah says visits to EIU’s campus during her college selection process proved her aunt was right, further amplifying her enthusiasm for the Charleston, Illinois-based University.
“The warmth of people on campus made me feel confident I would be accepted and welcomed as part of the EIU community, and my intuition was right,” Savannah shares. “Since becoming an EIU student this spring, I’ve gotten to know all of my professors personally, and they know me just as well. That deep connection carries over to the student body…it’s so easy to make friends here, and the campus creates a positive and rewarding space for EIU students to learn and grow.”
That growth begins with one of EIU’s defining strengths—its people. At a time when many universities can feel impersonal to students like Savannah, EIU’s student-centered approach ensures meaningful connections between its faculty and students. And at EIU, those relationships continue to prove transformative.
Today, Savannah is fully immersed in her EIU experience. A dedicated History major with Teacher Licensure in Social Science and a minor in Political Science, Savannah’s dream of becoming an impactful educator has been reinforced and accelerated by opportunities and interactions inside and outside the classroom. For EIU students—Savannah included—those opportunities and interactions help to shape learners’ confidence, competency, and careers.
Confidence at EIU begins with prospective and current students knowing exactly how Eastern will support their needs. That includes assistance and guidance from before they even submit an EIU application to the day of their EIU graduation—and beyond. Savannah, for example, graduated from Kansas (Illinois) High School a semester early. Because Kansas is a smaller, rural high school, she admits that EIU’s 320-acre campus initially seemed overwhelming. But her concerns were quickly alleviated after talking with so many approachable and responsive EIU representatives, all of whom reassured her that EIU offers ample opportunities for financial aid, academic support, faculty mentoring, and meaningful student interactions.
“Affordability was an important factor for me since I come from a lower-income family in a rural area,” Savannah shares. “But I was happy to learn that EIU’s financial assistance programs could alleviate some of the burden. That allowed me to focus all of my energy on succeeding in college and creating a better life for myself. EIU definitely made higher education in Central Illinois more accessible.”
Savannah reveals that every day she spends as an EIU student, Eastern Illinois University continues to convince her she made the right choice for her and her future. Today, having almost completed her freshman year, she admits that her initial uncertainty quickly gave way to confidence.
“I found myself wondering why I was ever worried at all,” she admits. “Any anxiety I had my first week was replaced entirely by excitement and enthusiasm.” For Savannah, that excitement has translated into active engagement across campus. After exploring EIU’s broad selection of Registered Student Organizations, she joined a group focused on developing the organizational and leadership skills of its members. Embracing that and the other wide range of opportunities available to her, she says, are experiences that are helping her build both community and confidence—characteristics Savannah knows will benefit her as she aims toward her own professional career in the classroom.
“Since I was young, I’ve wanted to be a history teacher, and EIU is so well known for its exemplary teacher preparation programs,” she asserts. “I’m looking forward to being an inspirational, impactful history teacher, and I know EIU is preparing me to meet and exceed that goal.” Her academic experience, she says, has been absolutely rewarding. Through coursework in history and education, Savannah is developing the essential skills needed for success in the classroom and beyond, including essentials across disciplines in areas like communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and cultural awareness.
“In these classes, I have participated in discussions, public speaking, group projects, and research papers, which all require me to effectively communicate my ideas and become involved with people around me,” she says. “By studying both positive and negative aspects of history and examining a variety of viewpoints, I have learned the importance of historical empathy and representing diverse voices.”
These lessons are already shaping Savannah’s approach to teaching and reinforcing her commitment to making a difference in the lives of her own future students. As she looks ahead, she remains focused on continuing to grow—academically, socially and professionally—while preparing to enter a career in which she knows EIU’s inspirational teachings will have a lasting impact.
That same impact, Savannah says, is one she experiences on EIU’s campus as a student every day. As an example, she cited a particular instance as just one of many defining moments of her EIU experience, and the genuine sense of belonging she’s found on Eastern’s campus.
“A professor I had spoken with only a few times but didn’t actually have a class with walked in,” she recalls. “When he saw me, he stopped and began introducing me to the person who accompanied him. What impressed me most was not the fact that he knew my name, but the extent to which he remembered details about me and career ambitions.” Savannah says that interaction reinforces what she had already begun to realize about EIU at the time—that its students are more than just numbers on some random class roster. Every student at EIU, she says, is seen, heard and valued for who they are, and for who they one day hope to become.
“It helped me realize that at EIU, students are so much more than some anonymous mass of people,” Savannah explains. “Every interaction I have on this campus is another confirmation that I am part of a community where people truly see and support one another by meeting us where we are, and guiding us to where we want to be.”
“EIU just offers so many opportunities…I have never had more possibilities than I do now,” she continues. “EIU has opened up the world to me by giving me so much confidence and equipping me with so many resources. I feel inspired by the possibilities I have in front of me thanks to this University.”
When asked what advice she’d offer prospective students or families considering EIU, Savannah offers a simple but straightforward assessment: “To anyone concerned about not fitting in or feeling out of place transitioning to college, just know that I was too,” Savannah says. “But EIU truly is a student-centered University focused on your best interests and outcomes. The people, the opportunities, and the support genuinely changed how I see myself and what I am capable of.”
From Move-Ins To Milestones: EIU Is a Gateway to Global Opportunities, Confident Outcomes
May-05-2026
Senior Ella Aly says Eastern Illinois University degree is her “Panther Passport” for future career in hospitality.
(Charleston, IL) – Eastern Illinois University’s focus on building meaningful relationships has helped countless students develop career-ready skills, lifelong networks, and experiences that extend far beyond the traditional classroom. For students like Ella Aly, those experiences are leading to outcomes that extend even farther.
When Ella first arrived on EIU’s campus as a student in 2023, she was focused on the customary logistics of Move-In Day—unpacking boxes, hauling supplies, and adjusting to a new chapter in her academic journey. Not realizing it at the time, one small interaction that day would come to personify the entirety of her upcoming EIU experience.
After dropping off her belongings, Ella returned to find her family chatting with a resident assistant who had stopped to help them navigate the new residence hall. Her mother made a casual comment that stuck.
“My mom looked at me and said, ‘You should become friends with her,’” Ella recalls. At the time, she laughed it off. Little did she know, that resident assistant would later become one of her closest friends—and her senior-year roommate.
“That moment really showed me how quickly meaningful connections can form here,” Ella declares.
Now in her final year at EIU as a Hospitality and Tourism Management major with a minor in Business Administration, Ella says those connections have defined her experience at EIU just as much as her academics.
Originally from Golconda, Illinois, and a 2023 graduate of Pope County Community High School, Ella said she was first drawn to EIU by its people.
“What stood out immediately was how welcoming everyone was and how dedicated they seemed—not just their passion for the University, but for each and every one of the students,” she shares. That first impression only deepened once she became immersed and engaged in EIU’s campus life. At EIU, Ella found a University culture she describes as deeply invested in student growth.
“Students are more than just another number here,” she says. “Faculty, staff, and peers are truly invested in each other’s success.” That type of environment, she says, gave her the confidence to grow academically and personally.
“My experience at EIU has been life-changing. It was the first place where I truly felt happy and confident in myself.”
Ella leveraged that fresh sense of confidence to become heavily involved on campus, taking on leadership roles that would shape her college career and amplify her professional trajectory. Among her most meaningful accomplishments was serving as Homecoming Chair for two consecutive years—an opportunity she says was both rare and transformative.
“Being trusted to lead Homecoming once is special enough, but doing it a second time was incredibly impactful,” she states. Through coordinating large-scale events that brought students, alumni, and the broader campus community together, Ella developed skills in teamwork, event planning, communication, and tradition-based programming. Her success in the role was supported by strong mentorship, particularly from now-retired Director of Student Life Ceci Brinker.
“Her encouragement helped me recognize my potential and gave me confidence to pursue other leadership opportunities,” Ella reveals. By helping carry forward institutional traditions, Ella says she learned the value of contributing to a campus and a community larger than herself.
“These experiences taught me how campus traditions create lasting memories and strengthen our shared community.”
Ella also heavily credits EIU’s Hospitality and Tourism Management program with helping her explore multiple career paths while building professional experience. This spring, she served as the program’s Student Ambassador, connecting with prospective students and alumni while showcasing student achievements. The role strengthened her communication skills and expanded her experience in alumni engagement, interviewing, and social media management.
Beyond that, Ella says one of her most impactful academic experiences at EIU came through international travel. In summer 2025, she participated in a faculty-led study abroad trip to Florence, Italy through Eastern’s Lumpkin College of Business and Technology. Traveling throughout Italy allowed her to connect classroom concepts directly to real-world tourism while building confidence navigating new cultures and environments.
“Studying abroad was a major academic goal of mine, and it quickly became one of the most impactful experiences of my college career,” she admits. “That experience confirmed my passion for travel and hospitality.”
Outside leadership opportunities and academics, Ella points to personal mentorship as one of the defining elements of her EIU journey. Among those mentors is Dr. Lisa Brooks, whom Ella describes as the most influential academic mentor of her college career.
“She is always willing to talk, offer encouragement and challenge me to think bigger about my future,” Ella offers. “She helped me see possibilities I once thought were out of reach.” That support system played a key role in Ella’s personal and professional development—and reinforced what she believes makes EIU distinctive—its people, and the deep relationships they create with the students they are there to support.
Another milestone in Ella’s journey came when she was selected as a Distinguished Senior Award recipient, an honor that gave her space to reflect on how far she had come. For her, the recognition represented more than an award—it symbolized the growth made possible through EIU’s community, mentorship and investment in her as a student and emerging leader.
“Knowing multiple people took the time to nominate me was incredibly humbling,” she confesses. “It made me feel recognized not just for what I accomplished, but for the person and leader I became here.”
Today, as Ella prepares for life after graduation, she says EIU will be equipping her with far more than a degree on commencement day, Saturday, May 9.
“EIU really lives up to its message of being ‘all in’ for you,” she asserts. “And that experience becomes strongest when students get involved and put themselves out there.”
Her advice to future EIU students is simple: Find your people.
“Once you find your community—and you can find more than one here at EIU—your college experience becomes more meaningful, supportive and impactful,” she says. “And at Eastern Illinois University that’s what it’s all about…its collective passion for seeing each student’s potential, investing in their success, and encouraging them to do great things.”
For students like Ella and others like her at EIU, their experience is defined less by a single moment, class, or achievement, but by the people, opportunities, and confidence they continue to gain on their journey to personal and professional success.
And sometimes, Ella laughs, it all starts with a simple conversation on Move-In Day.
Find the latest top stories from EIU online: https://www.eiu.edu/media/
