What’s New?

With our new name comes a few exciting updates! You can now refer to us as EXP -short for Exploratory Studies -which also matches our new course rubric (we’ve officially shifted from GS to EXP).

We also launched a refreshed mission, vision, and values that reflect who we are today and where we’re headed — helping students explore confidently, connect meaningfully, and move forward with purpose.

Ribbon Cutting & First Annual Awards

To mark the occasion, we hosted a special ribbon-cutting and award event -an incredible opportunity to wrap up the work of our name change and officially introduce Exploratory Studies to the campus community.

Even more importantly, the event allowed us to recognize the outstanding achievements of our students, staff, and partners — much of which are highlighted below. Here are just a few of the moments and milestones that made this year special.

Exploratory Student Association: Building Community and Belonging

This year, a group of passionate Exploratory Studies Ambassadors took their commitment one step further by launching our first-ever registered student organization -the Exploratory Student Association (ESA).

ESA was created to support and amplify the work of EXP while building a strong sense of community and belonging among Exploratory Studies students. The organization offers students a space to connect with peers, share experiences, and celebrate the spirit of exploration that defines our program.

The inaugural Executive Board includes:
Caleb Yedor, Ella Phalen, Tabitha Smith, Andrea Suarez, and Melanie Luna.

Their leadership marks an exciting new chapter for student engagement within Exploratory Studies – one where students are not just exploring their options, but shaping the community itself.

College Welcome Event

Building a sense of community for our undeclared students is one of our top priorities, and our College Welcome event, held the Friday before fall semester begins, is one of our biggest opportunities to welcome them in style.

Our welcome event, Discover the Magic of Exploratory Studies, featured magician Giancarlo Bernini, winner of Penn and Teller’s Fool Us, who dazzled new students not only with his illusions but with his inspiring story of pursuing passions and following dreams — the perfect message for Exploratory Studies students beginning their own journeys.

Welcome Week Pop-In Event

We were also thrilled to receive an Undergraduate Education Innovation Grant to support several community-building activities, including a Welcome Week Pop-In event. Many first-time students stopped by the Illini Union Bookstore Building for snacks, prizes, and a chance to connect with our Ambassadors and Exploratory Student Association executive board.

It was the perfect way to kick off a new year — and to remind students that in Exploratory Studies, connection and curiosity go hand in hand.

I-Explore Week: Bigger, Better, More Impact

I Explore Week, launched in 2024 as a partnership with The Career Center, expanded even further in 2025. The week opened with the Majors & Minors Fair, co-sponsored by The Career Center and the Exploration Living-Learning Community.

During the MMF, The Career Center offered career coaching drop-in sessions right onsite — and the interest spiked, with nearly 40 students taking advantage of these impromptu consultations.

But the engagement didn’t stop there. Throughout the week, a rich lineup of events designed for exploring students drew on collaboration across campus.

Together, these events brought students, advisors, faculty, and campus partners into shared spaces of discovery, guidance, and connection — accelerating exploration, expanding awareness, and reinforcing the message: you’re not figuring this out alone.

Expanding the Classroom Experience

Over the past year, we’ve worked hard not only to update our course rubric to EXP but also to seek formal approval for new and enhanced courses that build on the foundation of our first-year experience, EXP 101: Exploring @ Illinois.

These updates reflect our continued commitment to offering students intentional, high-impact learning experiences that support exploration, decision-making, and success from the start.

Beyond EXP 101, we’re excited to offer:

• EXP 199: Major Exploration Lab – a new pilot course launching in Spring 2026 for students living in University Housing Living Learning Communities, especially the Exploration LLC, designed to help students engage deeply in the major exploration process (with plans to expand in the future).
• EXP 110: Future Ready Toolkit – a refreshed second-semester experience for students in the Enrichment Experience Program (EEP), now officially renamed and reimagined.
• EXP 150: James Scholars Foundations – an updated and dynamic course experience for newly admitted honors nominees.

Student Success Champion Honorable Mention

In February 2025, our team was honored with an Honorable Mention for the Office of the Provost Student Success Champion Team Award, recognizing our collective commitment to supporting student exploration, belonging, and success.

This recognition celebrates the creativity, care, and collaboration that drive everything we do in Exploratory Studies.

Expanding Capacity, Deepening Support

With the addition of four exceptional advisors in Summer and Fall 2025 – Liz Matresse, Rita Medina, Nancy Torres, and Mayra Vazquez – Exploratory Studies (EXP) has significantly strengthened its advising infrastructure. This strategic growth allows us to offer a student-centered advising model that prioritizes access, responsiveness, and individualized guidance.

We are proud of our advisor-to-student ratios which are well below national advising benchmarks and reflect our commitment to the unique needs of exploring students, who often benefit from more time, attention, and tailored support as they navigate academic choices and discover their path forward.