Sam Michalak
Hometown: Wheaton, IL
University: University of Illinois
Major: Mechanical Engineering
BIOGRAPHY
Hello! My name is Sam Michalak, and I grew up in Wheaton, Illinois. I’m currently a freshman at UIUC studying mechanical engineering. In my free time, I enjoy playing basketball, hanging out with friends (usually playing cards), and riding my bike. I wouldn’t consider myself a true cyclist yet, but I have logged a respectable amount of miles on the Illinois Prairie Path back home. I’m excited to explore the country while spreading awareness for the fight against cancer as a part of the 2023 Illini 4000 team.
PERSONAL STATEMENT
Since I was a little kid, cancer has affected my family in many ways. I lost my grandfather to esophageal cancer when I was five years old; I lost my grandmother, a breast cancer survivor, to lung cancer when I was twelve years old; and my mother is currently dealing with squamous cell skin cancer, which thankfully is not life-threatening. My entire life, I have felt like a bystander in the fight against cancer, and now I want to make a difference. This summer, I will be riding for my grandfather (Dennis), my grandmother (Mary Ruth), my mother (Amy), and those who have been affected by cancer, both directly and indirectly, everywhere.