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U of I student receives TCF scholarship

University of Illinois Urbana Champaign sophomore Aisha Kamran is a 2020-2021 recipient of a Chicago Farmers’ scholarship. She is majoring in technical systems management (TSM) with a minor in business. Aisha related that her interest in the TSM major was piqued while she was pursuing mechanical engineering during her freshman year.

“As much as I enjoyed my physics classes, there was a downside. I didn’t see how what I was learning would be applied in the real world,” said Aisha, of Lombard, Illinois, and a graduate of Glenbard East High School. “My aspirations in college mainly were to pursue classes related to a career following college graduation, and just taking physics, computer science, math, and chemistry courses did not give me insight on that future. I did research with a mechanical engineering professor and joined physics clubs and engineering clubs to be more involved in my major. However, I realized I preferred something more hands-on.”

Aisha went on to say that after her switch to TSM, she was in the lab room connecting wires and actually putting them into a mini house. Beginning with a diagram, the students then actually saw the application. “The best feeling was that I built something that I had drawn in my little notebook, and, being one of the few females in a classroom filled with males, that I had created something not common for females,” she said.

Aisha said she hopes to continue her technical journey. She said she later discovered operations management, which sparked her interest in a business minor. Aisha noted that she has been enjoying this combination and hopes this path takes her to a role in operations or supply chain management. However, she added, she is still learning about more jobs that her major could open up for her.

She said her current career plans would include moving towards an operations role and she is very open to learning about what kind of system a company offers because she is eager for the experience. “Because I lack experience, I am open to any work environments that would offer the experience needed to understand what kind of field I should consider,” Aisha said. “My classes have made me realize that the agricultural industry is huge, and there are so many ways to sustain, maintain, and grow this industry. There are also many components to enhance this, whether it’s biologically, through equipment, or economically. The thing about operations management is that I get to work with multiple departments no matter what field that company works with. It is not just operations; it’s also engineering, marketing, financials, and so much more. My major and minor assist me in reaching this goal because TSM is very hands on and business helps oversee the strategic components in management and working in teams.”

Written by The Chicago Farmers Editor Denise Faris