Biophysics Student Kevin Cheng Serves on SAGE

Biophysics and Quantitative Biology student Kevin Cheng has recently been selected to serve on the Graduate College Students Advising on Graduate Education (SAGE) board. A leadership opportunity for graduate students at Illinois, SAGE promotes active engagement with programs and initiatives offered by the Graduate College and aims to enhance the academic, professional, and social experience of graduate students.

The 2021-2022 SAGE board includes members from more than 20 programs across campus.

Kevin considers this new role advantageous at both the personal and professional levels. “Professionally, I am interested in building leadership and administrative skills to prepare me as I advance in my own scientific career.”

He adds, “On the personal level, I hope to further understand the role that universities can play in helping students from all backgrounds and be an active participant in this process.”

As a member of SAGE, Kevin hopes to provide Graduate College and its administration with a fresh perspective on the doctoral journey of a graduate student who comes from a low-income, underrepresented minority, and first-generation American/College family. “I want to offer my unique insight into the struggles that students with a background similar to mine face because there is simply a lack of representation,” says Kevin.

“Universities across the nation are facing a diversity and inclusion problem, and I want to do what I can to help alleviate this, starting at my own university.”

Kevin Cheng is in his third year in Professor Taras Pogorelov’ s research group in the Biophysics and Quantitative Biology doctoral program and expects to graduate in Spring 2024.