University of Illinois Lucks Out: Sandra Says Yes

April 17, 2009 • Posted in blindness, Uncategorized, writing by
As Tom Cruise would say, "Looks like the University of Illinois!" And that's a good thing.

Sandra Merullo, future Illini.

You might remember my guest blogger Sandra Murillo – she wrote a post here back in November about voting in her first presidential election.

Sandra lost her sight when she was three and has always attended regular public schools. I met Sandra when she was still in high school – I interviewed her for a Chicago Tribune story exploring how kids who are blind are educated in the public school system. Sandra is a very impressive young woman – she’s bilingual, a great writer, sweet, smart, and funny, too. The thing that impressed me most about Sandra when I first met her, though? Her math skills! From my Tribune article:

In geometry, however, learning can be far more complicated. Using raised line drawings to read graphics, push pens and rubber bands to form angles, and special paper and pens to create diagrams, Sandra is managing a 96% in geometry so far. “My textbook is 63 volumes!” she exclaimed, opening one page of her Braille textbook to demonstrate how big the raised-line drawings can be.

Sandra and I have kept in touch ever since that article came out. We talk a lot about writing – she’s known for years that she wants to be a journalist, and through the magic of talking computers I’ve been able to read quite a few of the many articles and stories she’s had published.

When Sandra wrote that blog post for me in November she was a sophomore at South Suburban College, hoping to transfer to the journalism school at the University of Illinois in Fall. She responds to my blog posts fairly often, and those of you who follow the comments here know that Sandra was nervous about whether or not she’d be accepted. The University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign is my alma mater, and I’ve been confident she’d get in – just didn’t know whether she’d say yes when the time came. I mean, c’mon, the girl is so talented, I worried she’d get other offers!

The time came last week. Sandra got her acceptance notice from the University of Illinois. I was the first person she emailed. She said yes. She’ll be starting at U of I in the Fall.

When I wrote her back I asked if she’d be willing to email me a photo of her so I could use it in a blog post announcing the good news. She said, “sure!” and attached a couple of photos. “They were both taken at a wedding in which I was a bride’s maid, and I look sooo pretty (that’s what I hear from my family.)” She ended that last sentence with one of her favorite words: *smile* I did.

Sarah On April 17, 2009 at 3:47 pm

Congratulations Sandra!!!!
I applaud you on your achievement!
*big smile*
Keep in touch and take care,
Sarah

Beth,
How are you? How is everything?
Hope all is well and you’re enjoying the fantastic weather.
-Sarah

bethfinke On April 17, 2009 at 3:56 pm

Sarah, thanks for your good wishes, both to Sandra and to me! I will actually be in your neck of the woods this weekend — am meeting my sisters (and Flo is coming, too) at the Harrington Inn in Geneva for a family weekend. Looking forward to it —

Sandra Murillo On April 17, 2009 at 7:11 pm

Hi Beth and Sarah,

Sarah, great to hear from you, and thanks for your wishes! I hope everything is going good at NIU. Beth, thanks for all the bragging! I actually just got the admissions packet in the mail a few minutes ago. In other words, the internet saved me because I was able to find out the decision well before I got the letter! Thank goodness for internet! 🙂 You all should’ve seen me on Saturday. I was in shock all day! *laugh* I think my family learned they can expect just about anything from me when I’m in such an extatic mood! *smile* Honestly, I feel it’s time for a change. As much as I like my hometown and community college, I feel I need a more diverse environment (I’m just not comfortable in the same routine forever!) While my family doesn’t want me to leave home, they are very supportive of my decision, so that’s definitely a big plus..

Sandra

Laurie On April 19, 2009 at 1:48 am

Congratulations, Sarah! U of I is very lucky to have you in their student body! You sound like just the kind of hard-working, bright student that will make them proud. I work at a university myself (Roosevelt University in Chicago and Schaumburg) and I know that instructors cherish and long remember students that, as Beth describes you, are sweet, smart, funny, and passionate about their major. I wish you much happiness and success.

Beth, I hope you, Mike, and Hanni are doing well and enjoying springtime. I will get in touch soon to schedule our next “date.”

Laurie

Sarah On April 20, 2009 at 10:01 pm

Laurie,
I attend a community college as of the moment and will possibly return to Northern Illinois University in the fall.
Sandra and I are friends though. *grin*
Take care,
Sarah

Sandra Murillo On April 20, 2009 at 10:35 pm

Don’t worry Laurie — I’ve been called Sarah many times before, and thanks for your wishes! *grin*

Sandra

Laurie On April 22, 2009 at 12:18 am

I’m sorry, Sandra! I’m terrible about mixing up names; which is SO bad when I teach! I have to be more careful. Thanks for understanding! *grin*

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