BIOGRAPHY

Hi! My name is Jacob Minin and I am a freshman majoring in Bioengineering at the University of Illinois. While I was born in Evanston, I lived here in Champaign since before I could walk, until my family moved back to the suburbs of Chicago just three years ago. Now, back “home” in Champaign, I enjoy having a new perspective on the familiar area. When I’m not in the classroom, or doing homework, or trying to find a promising research subject, you can usually find me training with the rowing team early in the morning or training with the swimming team in the afternoon. I also try to fit in cycling by myself or with Illini 4000, volunteering with Habitat for Humanity, and occasionally making music when I feel particularly creative. This university has so much to offer, but one has to stick to the priorities, right? There should be plenty of time to focus more on slam poetry and Muay Thai kickboxing when I am in medical school, I hope. Yes, I’d like to be a doctor—for now I’m thinking endocrinology or oncology, but we will see what life has in store. After all, it's not about the destination, but the ride to get there.

PERSONAL STATEMENT

Cancer, to me, is more than an ominous abstraction. The disease has ravaged my family, as it has done with many other families I know. My great grandmother, great aunt and great uncle are among cancer’s victims, while my grandparents and uncle survived their battles. I am honored to take part in Illini 4000 because it combines three of the things I am passionate about: fighting cancer, cycling, and oral history. The Portraits Project is a perfect way to raise awareness, and provide hope to those fighting cancer through stories from the lives of those affected by the terrible disease. This year, I will be riding for my great grandmother, who helped take care of me when I was a baby, and passed away from cancer early in 2019.