Leveraging storytelling and design to connect a 4,000-mile journey for cancer with communities across the country.

Illini 4000 is a student-run nonprofit that fights cancer through cross-country cycling, fundraising, and storytelling.

I've been involved in the organization since freshman year — it started when I fundraised $4,000 for cancer research, then pedaled across the United States with 17 other college students.

I later stepped into leadership roles as Marketing Director and Co-President, where I led a brand and content overhaul, strengthened relationships with beneficiaries and alumni, and helped prepare the 2025 team for another successful cross-country ride.

TIMELINE

Sep 2023 - Present

ROLEs

Bike America Rider (2023 - 24), Marketing Director (2024 - Present),
Co-President (2025 - Present)

SKILLS & TOOLS

Cross-Functional Leadership, Marketing, Community Outreach, Graphic Design, Squarespace, Canva, Figma, Instagram, Facebook

step 1: Go on the adventure of a lifetime
As I biked from New York City to San Francisco, I co-authored daily digital journal posts for those following our journey from afar.
From battling the elements to meeting strangers with incredible stories, my teammate and I balanced documenting every high and low of our cross-country trek with riding an average of 70 miles per day. Each journal entry paired an interview with a fellow rider alongside stories from the road, and was posted to our website.
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Day 25: A taste of adventure
Reedsburg, WI to La Crosse, WI
"Your journals make my day. I love reading about your adventures and how you face each physical and mental challenge as a group.” -Kate
"The journal entries are amazing! Somehow you make every entry engaging and describe the challenges with a sense of humor and positivity.” -Melissa
Days 69 & 70: From eastern seaboard to golden coast
Grants Pass, OR to Crescent City, CA
“Thank you journalists and riders for allowing us readers to share in your journey and your emotions, and for raising cancer awareness as well as funds... All of you should know that your experience of a lifetime has touched way more people than you could ever imagine!” -Mariann
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Day 76: 4,645 miles, two wheels, one cause
Petaluma, CA to San Francisco, CA
“No words can fully express how incredible these journals are as well as the time and effort you both put into them on top of everything else you’ve done this summer (including a good bit of pedaling)...

Not only did they serve their day-by-day purpose in this regard, but they will stand as a testament to what you’ve accomplished and be a source of lifelong recollection for the whole team.” -Jonathan
step 2: plan more of such adventures — for others!
Following the 2024 Bike America Ride, I joined Illini 4000's Board of Directors as Marketing Director and later Co-President.
Successfully leading a student-run nonprofit requires a balance of creative vision and operational grit.

So far, I've spearheaded a comprehensive overhaul of our brand identity and digital strategy to deepen engagement with our community both online and in-person. I also oversaw the high-level partnerships and complex logistics necessary to mobilize a team of riders across over 4,000 miles.

$1.4M+ donated to the fight against cancer

Since 2007, Illini 4000 has distributed an annual average of $70,000 to vetted beneficiaries. These funds  support groundbreaking cancer research and critical patient care services across the country.

460+ cancer experiences collected

A cornerstone of Illini 4000's mission, The Portraits Project captures the human side of the fight. Riders interview patients, survivors, and caregivers — building a living archive of stories from the cancer community.

77K+ miles biked across the United States

By undergoing a journey as grueling and transformative as a cross-country trek on pedals, Illini 4000's annual Bike America Rides aim to connect communities across state lines and raise awareness for the fight against cancer.

full case study coming sooN...

...since you're already here, feel free to check out my other work!

The Daily Illini

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Design Innovation

Evolving Apple Voice Memos from a basic utility to an intelligent workspace

Let's keep in touch!

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