Journeys: To College and Beyond is your go-to podcast for authentic, unfiltered stories about college life, powered by the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. This series brings you real conversations with students, alumni, and campus community members who share their journeys, challenges, and insights. Whether you’re a prospective student, current student, or a proud parent, you’ll find relatable stories, helpful tips, and a glimpse into the vibrant University community. New episodes drop every other week—tune in and explore the many paths that lead through college and beyond.
It's an exciting challenge to begin your college journey, especially when it involves moving across the country. In this episode, we're exploring the out-of-state student experience with a first semester freshman and Texas native, Alex, as he shares funny first impressions of college life, advice on where to get the best dining hall experience, the convenience of the Champaign Airport, and more.
Chapters:
0:00-2:49 Introductions
2:49-4:03 Texas Roots
4:03-6:21 First Impressions
6:21-10:26 Midwest Expectations
10:26-11:49 College as a Concept
11:49-12:50 Reflections on the Application
12:50-15:42 Finding Friends as a Freshman
15:42-17:50 Student Housing and Dining
17:50-19:52 Getting Around Campus Without a Car
19:52-22:32 Visiting Home as an Out-of-State Student
22:32-23:44 Choosing Illinois
23:44-26:06 Visiting Campus
26:06-28:29 Advice for Applicants
28:29-29:09 Thanks for Listening!
28 Aug 2026
Impact at Scale with Chancellor Isbell
In the Season 3 premiere of Journeys, Maddie sits down with the chancellor himself, Charles Lee Isbell Jr.! Together, they unpack what makes Illinois an excellent university, life lessons from the chancellor’s journey, the best way to enjoy Star Wars, and much more.
Chapters: 00:00-1:07
Welcome to Journeys 1:07-2:45
Introducing, Chancellor Isbell!
2:45- 4:04 One year in
4:04 - 5:29 CU's magnetic energy
5:29 - 7:37 What makes Illinois special
7:37- 10:20 Supporting in-state students
10:20-11:36 Impact at scale
11:36-15:27 Chancellor's college journey
15:27-19:45 Life lessons
19:45 - 25:28 Defining success
25:28 - 28:23 Value in a degree
28:23-38:41 This-or-that
38:41-41:35 MACHETE ORDER!
41:35 Farewell for now!
6 Apr 2026
Finding Your Fit with Sara
In the final episode of season two, Maddie sits down with the Executive Director of Undergraduate Admissions at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Sara Mackenzie. Sara shares advice with newly admitted students, unpacks the meaning of "good fit" and tells the story of how one accidental college visit changed her entire journey.
Chapters:
0:00--4:39 - Introduction
4:39-7:12 - The Anxiety of Starting Your College Journey
7:12-9:33 - What Makes Illinois Different?
9:33-13:31 - How to Make a Balanced Decision
13:31-15:50 - Defining "Good Fit"
15:50-18:05 - Your College Decision is Not the End of the World
18:05-21:20 - Sara Loves a Campus Visit
21:20-25:53 - Sara's Journey to College via the Mall of America
25:53-27:11 - Final Thoughts and Trusting the Process
6 Mar 2026
Admitted First-Year FAQs with Kristin
When admissions decisions are finally released, it's time to celebrate! But what comes next? Assistant Director of First Year Admissions Kristin Van Duyne tackles frequently asked questions to help Admitted First-Year students cross the admissions finish line as they prepare to become the next generation of Illini.
6 Feb 2026
CS + X and Combination Majors with Kush
Sometimes our dreams are bigger than a single major can hold. At Illinois, students can mix, match, and combine areas of study to create a path that truly fits their passions. This month, we’re exploring the popular combination major CS + X with Kush, a sophomore studying Computer Science + Linguistics and Brain and Cognitive Science.
9 Jan 2026
Redefining the Journey: Military Connected Support with Rob
Sergeant Robert Chromniak discusses the transition from military service to college life and highlights the support offered by the Chez Veterans Center in this interview.
5 Dec 2025
Post-Grad Pathways with Taylor
Taylor Howard M.S. discusses her experiences transitioning from college to the professional world, highlighting the challenges of balancing societal expectations with personal definitions of success in this interview.
7 Nov 2025
Small Town Start with Sophia
Sophia recounts her transition from a small town to a large university, highlighting her passion for sustainability and how the university helps students find their niche; this is an interview.
10 Oct 2025
Visit Vibes with Michelle
Michelle Wu, Assistant Director of Campus Visits, discusses the importance of campus visits in the college search process and her passion for guiding prospective students at Illinois in this interview.
19 Sept 2025
Holistic Living (and Applying) with Lisa
Lisa Micele, Director of College Counseling, discusses holistic living and resource utilization to make the college application journey more manageable in this interview.
16 May 2025
Student Jobs and Senior Send-Off with Kenny
Believe it or not, a big part of the college journey happens outside of the classroom. We talked with University of Illinois senior Kenny about his experience with student employment-working everything from after school jobs in food service to summer internships in Chicago-and his advice to high schoolers as he reflects on college and prepares for graduation.
2 May 2025
Housing Hacks with CyAnne
We're talking all things residence hall this week with University Housing Marketing Intern CyAnne! From early-move-in programs and packing tips to making friends and open door policies, she shares her stories and advice on how to get the most out of your campus living experience.
Illinois Housing (https://housing.illinois.edu/)
Follow Illinois Housing on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/illinihousing/?hl=en)
18 Apr 2025
Talking Transfer with Anjiya
Choosing a school is tough decision, but what if you change your mind? We're talking all about the transfer student experience in this week's episode with stories and advice from University of Illinois Junior and transfer student Anjiya.
4 Apr 2025
Out-of-State Insights with Adam
In this episode, Adam shares what it was like to move from New York to Champaign-Urbana and how he found a sense of belonging as an out-of-state student. He also talks about how his childhood love of LEGO and Minecraft led him to pursue architecture, his favorite ways to explore life off campus, and more!
14 Mar 2025
Unpacking Illinois Commitment with Bethany
Bethany, Assistant Director of Financial Aid at Illinois, breaks down the Illinois Commitment program and what it means for students and their families. She shares her knowledge of the FAFSA, stories from her college days, and advice on navigating life after graduation. Learn more about Illinois Commitment at https://osfa.illinois.edu/illinois-commitment/
28 Feb 2025
Building Community with Courtney
From a shy freshman to a campus leader, Courtney shares how she found and created community in college. Now in her senior year, Courtney serves as President of Women of Color, is a founder and Secretary of Latinx in Law, serves on committees with BNAACC, NAACP, and more!
14 Feb 2025
Introducing Journeys: To College and Beyond
Your journey starts here! Join your host Maddie for a series filled with relatable stories, practical tips, and candid conversations with college students, staff, and alumni. Powered by Illinois.
Who has been a guest on Journeys: To College and Beyond
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Robert Chromniak
Taylor Howard
Sophia
Michelle Wu
Lisa Micele
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
YouTube views
5,520,302
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
1 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 31 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
25
Social presence
0
YouTube
93
Engagement
0
Contact Journeys: To College and Beyond
Guest appearances
Books guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
Host of Journeys: To College and Beyond?
Claim your podcast to manage its listing and keep your show details accurate.
Pod Engine is an independent podcast discovery and analytics service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by this podcast. Artwork and show content belong to their owners. Full legal notice.
Explore this show Podcast research with Pod Engine
