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Danielle Osler

Biography

The daughter of an Air Force officer, Danielle Osler says she "witnessed a dichotomy of opportunity and oppression" as an African-American growing up in the South and as a young woman living in Saudi Arabia. She says, "These experiences engendered within me the profound desire to affect change within my own community and the world."

Heading for a graduate degree in public policy and public interest law, Danielle intends to expand "my analytical skills while learning how to apply my passion for equality." She expects to pursue a career with a nonprofit organization that is concerned with civil rights, or a government agency specializing in technology policy.

She attended international symposia and was drawn to electrical engineering to "prove to the world that women, especially Black women, were capable of being successful mathematicians and scientists."

Although Danielle finds much "beauty in mathematics and physics," she is also an accomplished clarinetist and, as president of the Illini Union Board, oversaw the production of 300 cultural, educational, and entertainment programs with an annual budget of $230,000.

Interested in politics, she founded a chapter of the Young Democrats and volunteered for local campaigns. Danielle also coordinated a campus lecture series with Lech Walensa, Camille Paglia, and Ralph Nader, among others.

Her passion is to "provide an environment that enables all people to reach their fullest academic, social, and personal potential." The pursuit of engineering is her catalyst. Her philosophy classes have enabled her to "articulate ideas clearly and effectively."

And in extracurricular pursuits, she has solidified her passion for "social justice and equality," through interpersonal, consensus building, and speaking skills that she hopes to expand in graduate school.

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