Sofie
Schwink
Hometown: Longview, Illinois
University: University of Illinois
Major: Bioengineering
BIOGRAPHY
Hi! My name is Sofie and I’m a senior at UIUC. I love to hike, backpack, knit, read, and cycle! When I’m not studying or doing one of my hobbies, I can usually be found at home with my pets. On campus, I have a tuxedo cat named Morton, a leopard gecko named Leopold, and a ball python named Rigatoni. In the fall, my pets and I will be moving to Boulder to pursue a PhD in environmental engineering at the University of Colorado. I’m looking forward to finishing my time at UIUC with a cross-country bike ride!
PERSONAL STATEMENT
I did the ride for the first time in 2018, so this will be my second journey with I4K! I decided to do the ride for the first time in memory of my late father. He was an avid cyclist. I also rode for my mom, who is a thyroid cancer survivor. I decided to come back this year as a Ride Leader because of how amazing my first ride was. I will never forget the kindness of the strangers we met along the way or the stories people shared with us about the loved ones they’ve lost to cancer. I hope to help make this experience as good for my 2021 teammates as it was for me in 2018!