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This updated newsletter has corrected links in the Stay Connected and Get Connected sections. We apologize for the inconvenience.)
Greetings Alumni,
I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving. This will be my last newsletter as I am retiring from IMSA. It's been a true pleasure serving the alumni community and I am grateful for the support and collaboration that our Alumni have provided to our students, staff, faculty, and each other.
Although I'm excited about my next chapter, I'll miss working with such a wonderful group of people! Thank you for making my time here so rewarding. Wishing you all the best for the future!
Tamara Newquist
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Hello, IMSA Alumni! My name is Meg Junk, and I’m thrilled to step into the role of Alumni Relations Coordinator. I’ve had the privilege of working at IMSA since October 2023 as the Executive Assistant to the President and Board Secretary, where I’ve grown to deeply appreciate the strength of the IMSA community and the impact our alumni make across the world.
In this new role, I’m excited to build meaningful connections, celebrate your successes, and support the ongoing relationship between you and the Academy. I look forward to getting to know more of you, learning about the incredible paths you’ve taken, and finding new ways for IMSA to engage, uplift, and partner with its outstanding alumni network.
Please don’t hesitate to reach out—I’m here for you, and I can’t wait to begin this next chapter together.
Stay Connected
Have you recently moved, started a new job, or have any other news to share? Let us know—we’d love to stay connected and keep our records up to date. I am also available for a one-on-one conversation to learn more about you and your time at IMSA. I look forward to hearing from you!
Meg Junk
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GET CONNECTED
Transform Student Experiences
| | Upcoming Volunteer Opportunities | | |
AI Bytes Alumni Speaker Series
February - April, 2026 Learn more and sign up.
STEM4Minorities Mentorship Program- Science, Technology, Engineering, and Medicine. Feb. 14-March 25, 2026 Learn more and sign up.
Metro East Promise Program Guest Speakers
Saturdays, March 7, 14, 21, 28, April 18, or 25, 2026 between 9:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. Learn more and sign up.
Admissions Review Committee
Thursday, March 12 and Friday, March 13, 2026, tentatively from 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. Learn more and sign up.
Student Leadership Exchange Evaluations
Wednesday, April 29, 2026 from 11:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Learn more and register here.
| | Building Quantum Connections: IMSA Seeks Alumni in Quantum Science and Technology | | |
IMSA is reaching out to identify alumni working in the rapidly growing fields of quantum science and technology. By gathering this information, we hope to create new opportunities for students to learn from and connect with Alumni at the forefront of these disciplines.
This initiative builds on the exciting momentum at the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park in Chicago, reinforcing IMSA’s commitment to preparing the next generation of innovators.
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WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING
Stay in the know!
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Veterans Day Ceremony
featuring a message from
Colonel Kenyatta Ruffin '99
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IMSA honored Veterans Day on November 1, 2025, featuring a recorded message from Distinguished alumni Colonel Kenyatta Ruffin '99, US Air Force Reserves.
While at IMSA, he became one of the nation’s youngest FAA Certified Flight Instructors at just 18, and helped create programs that introduced younger students to science and aviation. After IMSA, he graduated from the United States Air Force Academy with a degree in aeronautical engineering, later serving as an F-16 fighter pilot and completing more than 150 combat missions in Iraq and Afghanistan. Colonel Ruffin has earned numerous awards which include service at the Pentagon, command and training leadership, and recognition as a 2021–2022 White House Fellow; one of the nation’s most prestigious public service appointments.
Beyond his decorated military career, Col. Ruffin founded the Legacy Flight Academy, a nonprofit organization that honors the legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen by inspiring and mentoring youth through aviation and character development.
| | 2025 IMSA Board of Trustees
Alumni Awards Ceremony | | |
Before students departed for Fall Break on October 10th, IMSA recognized this year’s Board of Trustees Alumni Award recipients:
- Titan Award – Dion Steele ’89
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Distinguished Leadership Award – Captain Brent Spillner ’95
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Distinguished Leadership Award – Dr. Michael Ombrello ’93
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Trailblazer Award – Katlyn J Gao ’97
These remarkable alumni took time to speak with our students, sharing their journeys before and after IMSA and the valuable insights they gained along the way.
A heartfelt thank you to the Cathy Veal Endowment for Recognition of Alumni, which makes it possible to bring these alumni back to empower the next generation of innovators.
| | Fall Break College Visits | | Over the break, students joined Dr. Glazer for college tours across Illinois. In addition to exploring outstanding campuses, such as UIUC, the University of Chicago and Northwestern University, they connected with IMSA alumni who shared firsthand experiences and advice on the transition to college. These interactions highlight the value of the Titan alumni network as a supportive resource for students as they navigate their future endeavors. | | Students took a tour of the engineering program at UIUC from a fellow Titan! Their tour guide was an IMSA alum, Nomar Martin '23. | | Front row: IMSA alums Avi Duggirala '24, Katherine Mayer '24, Manya Davis '24, Pietro Stabile '23, Michelle Li '23, Dara Ajayi '24 and Zhuoer Cai '25 connect with IMSA students visiting the University of Chicago. | | Thank you to other alumni who took time to meet and greet students and Dr. Glazer on those college trips! From Northwestern University: Shatakshi Chatterjee, '25, Angel Alvarez '98, Daniel Collins '15 and Tia Rice '24. Representing the University of Illinois-Champaign was Gerardo Paramo '22, Brian Cudiamat '96, Nikita Rudrapati '23, Sara Kashyap '23, Iris Amit, 24, Aarya Khapre '23 and Tiy Goddard '95. | | AI Bytes Alumni Speaker Series | | IMSA invites alumni to be a featured virtual or in-person guest for AI Bytes, hosted by IMSA's AI Center Students each B-Day/Tuesday from 2:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. during the Support and Engagement period. This is a great chance for students to learn about working in the field of AI from someone who once sat in the same classrooms they are in today! | | The alumni speaker series also featured Vikram Anjur '15, Jake Gerstein '95 and Susan Massey '01. | | Additional Alumni Paying it Forward | | |
Student Advisement-Medical Devices
Constitution Day Class Speaker
- Beatriz Fausto-Sandoval '98
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Literacy Explorations Film Presentation
Chemistry Society Speaker
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HIGH FIVE ALUMNI
Good news is shared here!
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Aishat Balogun '24, a sophomore at Boston University was featured at the AFROTECH™ Conference 2025. She is studying electrical engineering and states that IMSA validated her interests in STEM.
We love hearing about the amazing things our alumni are accomplishing! If you have some good news, you would like to share in Connections; I would love to hear from you. Please email alumnirelations@imsa.edu
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ALUMNI EVENTS
IAA Fall Socials a Success!
| | The IMSA Alumni Association (IAA) has been busy supporting Alumni who hosted events this fall. If you are interested in hosting an event, check out the IAA Regional Events Guidelines and let us know if you have any questions. | | New York City, NY - October 3, 2025 | | Evanston, IL - October 12, 2025 | | Cambridge, MA,- October 22, 2025 | | Madison, WI - November 5, 2025 | | Minneapolis, MN - November 9, 2025 | |
ANNOUNCEMENTS
IMSA Offers Online AI Credential Course
IMSA is launching an online semester-long AI credential course for high school students. This self-paced, asynchronous program introduces the evolution of AI, how technologies like machine learning and computer vision work, and the ethical issues shaping the field. Open to students in grades 9–12 with no prerequisites, the course includes weekly faculty office hours and awards a certificate upon completion. The course is free for Illinois students. Registration is now OPEN.
Applications to IMSA Now Open for the 2026–2027 School Year
IMSA is now accepting applications for the 2026–2027 school year! Illinois students—and a limited number of out-of-state applicants—are invited to apply through the online admissions portal by February 6, 2026. Learn more.
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MORE WAYS TO ENGAGE
Build your professional network
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Join us on IMSA's Alumni Networking platform. Connect@Yare is an exclusive and easy-to-navigate virtual space for IMSA Alumni to connect and
network. There are countless
opportunities to reminisce, share
news, build your professional network, support career development, and more.
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Connect with the IMSA Alumni Association (IAA).Sign up for the
newsletter, follow the IAA on social media, and more. The IAA organizes social events around the United States, helps alumni stay connected to IMSA, and supports the advancement of the Academy.
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You also have the
opportunity to join the IMSA Black Alumni Association (BAA).
The BAA’s mission is to foster and enhance the academic, social, emotional, and professional needs of IMSA’s Black students and alumni.
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Several Alumni are gathering interest in a IMSA Alumni Latinx Affinity Group. Their goal is to build a network that helps serve current Latinx IMSA students who could benefit
from the insights of the alumni community.
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Careers at IMSA
IMSA students are the best and brightest, and we're always looking for the best and brightest employees.
If you or someone you know is job searching, please feel free to share our career page with them for a full list of job openings.
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Alumni Services
Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy
1500 Sullivan Road, Aurora, IL 60506-1000
630.907.5000 | imsa.edu
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| Notice of Nondiscrimination: IMSA prohibits sex discrimination in any education program or activity that it operates. Individuals may report concerns or questions to the Title IX Coordinator. | | | | |
