I am Iryna Sydiak. I was born in the small town of Kupyansk in the eastern part of the Ukraine. I honestly believe that having a dream, being persistent and working very hard can make all dreams come true.

In the Fall of 2007, I started at the Tutorium in Intensive English in order to enhance my English proficiency and to adjust to a new culture and country. Now I work in the Tutorium office as a Graduate Assistant and I am a graduate student at UIC.

During my first two months studying in the Tutorium, I found out that in order to apply to an American university, an international student needs not only to pass the TOEFL IBT and submit a personal statement and letters of recommendation, but also to gain some American work experience in order to find a graduate assistantship later on. Thus, I started to search for an on campus job in UIC newspapers and the website. After going through a number of job interviews, I learned that it is quite difficult to find employment on campus. Fortunately, I got a position in the cafeteria at the UIC Medical Center and worked there for about 8 months.

By studying very hard in the Tutorium, working long hours at the UIC Medical Center cafeteria, and preparing for the TOEFL IBT on a daily basis, I was able to improve my English skills greatly, pass the TOEFL test with a high score, gain great work experience and be accepted to one of the most well-known universities in the USA. And I found another campus job as a Graduate Assistant here at the Tutorium in Intensive English Program.

Living in the Ukraine, a country with a stagnant economy, high unemployment, and a high level of corruption, I clearly realized that to increase my job opportunities and my marketability, I had to study very hard and gain as much lnowledge and as many skills as possible. I was inspired by my older brother and by my English language teacher in the Ukraine to learn the English language. Studying English became an integral part of my life.

In conclusion, I'm aware that there is a long way ahead to achieve all of my dreams and goals, but I'm sure that I'm capable of doing so.