Kaily Smith earns joint BS MS degree in ECE
Kaily Smith earns joint BS MS degree in ECE
When Kaily Smith crossed the stage at UIC’s College of Engineering graduation last month, she was one of the first graduates of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering’s joint BS/MS degree program.
Earning both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in five years was a dream for Smith, who came to UIC as a transfer student after earning her engineering associates degree from Elgin Community College.
During her first year at UIC, she heard about the new joint program and was the first student to register.
“I thought it was amazing to be able to complete my master’s degree with one additional year of school,” Smith said.
Road to UIC
While Smith seemingly sailed through her degrees in five years, her path to graduation was not straightforward. She grew up in Mexico and returned to the U.S. to pursue college, leaving behind her parents and young siblings.
“It’s hard to get good opportunities in Mexico unless you already have connections,” Smith said. “No one in my family had earned a degree before. I’m a first-generation student.”
Smith moved in with an uncle in Elgin, but the COVID-19 pandemic delayed her enrollment at community college. She came here with little money and worked up to three jobs at once, attended class full time, and babysat her cousins.
“I didn’t get much sleep those first few years,” she said.
Smith chose UIC for her bachelor’s degree to remain near her extended family and fell in love with the diversity of the student body.
“Where I lived in Mexico, I was not near a tourist area. Coming to UIC and experiencing the diversity taught me so much in life; it’s so inclusive and I’ve gotten to know so many different cultures through my friends,” she said. “We would share meals and traditions from our countries with each other.”
Smith found support at UIC. She used the commuter lounge as a home base on campus, visited faculty during their office hours, and attended the Engineering Career Center’s job fair each semester. She joined the Society of Hispanic Engineers, which hosts industry speakers and provides internship and career guidance.
Smith noted the differences between her undergraduate and graduate classes immediately—less handholding from professors in graduate level courses, and more freedom when it came to balancing work with education.
“Professors were really flexible, understanding that many graduate students have work and family obligations,” Smith said.
She also enjoyed the camaraderie among her fellow graduate students and met her boyfriend through the program.
Smith’s siblings and parents joined her in Chicago for her graduation ceremony, and she enjoyed the opportunity to show off the city and school to her them. Her younger brother is starting his studies in mechanical engineering at UIC in the fall. Smith hopes her sister will follow suit and attend UIC.
Life after college
Last summer, Smith interned with a tech consulting company, AHEAD, which helps businesses update their legacy systems. She found the opportunity a year ago through the engineering career fair. When her internship ended, she stayed on in a co-op position, working about 30-35 hours per week.
Though she received multiple job offers this spring, she opted to stay with AHEAD, where she will be an AI agentic engineer.
In her free time, she enjoys working out, hanging out with her brother, and visiting with friends.
“I’m so glad I did this program,” she said. “It’s so much harder once you’re out of school to go back.”