Hello, my name is Sarah Bopp. I’m from Bloomingdale, IL, a suburb on the Northwest side of Chicago. I am currently a sophomore at the University of Illinois hoping to study Psychology and Community Health while taking courses in the Pre-Occupational Therapy field.

Hi! My name is Bradford Chapin. I'm from Grayslake, IL and I'm a graduate student studying Sound Design and Technology. You may find me tooling along the Champaign County roads wearing a bright orange helmet.

Hello! My name is Shannon and I am from a small town in central Illinois called Clifton, which ironically, is the first place I learned about Illini 4,000. Riders often use my hometown as a destination point for their summer journeys and I remember watching them cycle in year after year.

My name is Tory Cross, and I’m from Sidell, IL. I went to Jamaica High School—like the town, not the country! I’m a freshman studying psychology, and currently I either want to research neurological disorders or become a doctor, but those ideas change on a regular basis!

I was born into an extremely caring family in Springfield, IL in 1990. Throughout my life, my family's unconditional love and dedication has been a continuous theme.

Hello! My name is Casey Fee and I’m currently studying to become a Chemical Engineer at University of Illinois. I am my happiest when I’m outside and am not afraid of a challenge.

Hello! My name is Sarah Hidder and I am a senior at the University of Illinois studying Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences with a concentration in Resource Conservation and Restoration Ecology.

Hello! My name is Jaime Kelleher and I am currently a junior in Materials Science and Engineering with a concentration in polymers. I grew up in Western Springs, IL with my parents and my older sister.

I am Alex Kulyk and I’m studying Mechanical Engineering at the University of Illinois. I’m from Glenview, Illinois, a north suburb of Chicago. I come from a relatively small family, with my immediate family of four consisting of my two very supportive parents, my twin sister and myself.

My name is Yujin Lee. I am a Junior at the University of Illinois majoring in Advertising. It is my first year in the campus. I have transferred from Chicago where I had lived for 3 years.

Monterey, California my birthplace- Urbana, Illinois my current residence; everything else in between is just a long story! I’m what is affectionately termed an “Army-Brat.” The entirety of my childhood existence can be defined by one word: moving.

I was born in Park Ridge, Illinois, though I’ve definitely moved around a bit since then. What’s strange about my story is I was never big on outdoor activities when I was younger; in fact, I hated anything outside the world of reading Harry Potter and the like.

Hi! My name is Tricia Maybaum and I am a junior at the University of Illinois. I am studying special education and I hope to teach life skills to high school students once I finish school.

My name is Lola McQueen and I am ecstatic to be involved with Illini 4000 and the 2012 Bike America Team! I’m currently a senior in History at the University of Illinois but will be graduating in December.

Growing up in New Delhi, India and Farmington Hills, Michigan opened a door of vast opportunity and experience for me. I graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a B.A. in Economics.

Hi there! My name is Kristen Miller and I am a senior studying nursing at the University of Illinois, hoping to eventually become a flight nurse. I have my mom and dad as well as an older brother and younger brother whom I love dearly.

I come from Hoffman Estates, Illinois, in the northwest suburbs of Chicago. Right now, I’m a sophomore at the George Washington University in Washington, DC. I’m majoring in economics and minoring in Math and German.

What up? My name is Julianne and I am 20 years old. I was raised in a military family. But being the youngest of four children, I only have moved once and have never lived outside of Illinois.

My name is Jaime Ruan. I am a sophomore majoring in Chemical Engineering and I am the first generation to attend college. I have three younger sisters that I love so much and I strive to be a good role model to them.

Hello All! My name is Patrick Ruane and I am a freshman studying Material Science and Engineering here at UIUC. I was born and raised in a small suburb of Chicago called Park Ridge.

My name is Kenny Shaevel and I am from Libertyville, Illinois. I’m a freshman at UIUC and I’m currently undeclared (and considering MANY different majors!).

I am a 21 years old exchange student from University of Tokyo. I am majoring in Finance at my home university, hoping to become an international investment banker in the future. My dream is to start my own consulting business.

Hi, my name is Connor Wilson, I'm a freshman at the University of Illinois studying physics. I was raised in St. Joseph Il, a small town less than ten miles outside of Champaign Urbana. I would describe myself as a quiet, laid-back, mostly introverted person.

Hi! I am Ashley Young, and I'm a senior at Illinois majoring in Molecular and Cellular Biology. I grew up on a family farm in central Illinois, where my brother, dad, and grandfather all currently farm together.