Ben Wooley
Hometown: Oswego, Illinois
University: University of Illinois
Major: Materials Science and Engineering
BIOGRAPHY
Hey! I'm Ben Wooley, a senior in Materials Science and Engineering and minoring in Music at the University of Illinois, two pursuits I'm attempting to combine by building instruments after I graduate. I play a variety of them in various capacities here at U of I (drum line, basketball band, steel band...) and spend most of my free time (and a good deal of time that should be spent doing something else) playing or listening to music. I'm easy to spot in large crowds on account of being rather tall, but as a result fitting in vehicles is an occasional challenge. I love words and anything with wheels or an engine, with a particular soft spot for anything made before 1975. I'm always interested in learning and trying something new, and my older brother, parents, and the rest of my family have been always been there for me in whatever endeavors I pursue to this effect, for which I am indescribably grateful.
PERSONAL STATEMENT
When I was in junior high, my mom's cousin was diagnosed with breast cancer, and the response throughout our entire extended family was one of overwhelming support. Tina may have been the one suffering from the disease, but everyone was involved in the fight and stood strong, never giving up a positive attitude. It was a battle that was unfortunately lost, but it was never clearer to me the good a network of support and love can do in the face of such adversity. That's why I4K is so important; to send a message to those fighting cancer that they're not alone, to help provide the resources they need to wage a better war, and to ensure that those who have lost the fight aren't forgotten. Cancer is a horrible disease. It's unfair, and strikes without warning against those who don't deserve such an affliction. But by doing what we can to fight back, those in the future won't have to suffer the losses so many already have.