Salute to Academic Achievement

Hosted since 1984 by the President of the University of Illinois System, Salute to Academic Achievement (SAA) is an annual invitation-only event held to honor select high school seniors from the state of Illinois for their exceptional academic achievements. The event currently emphasizes outreach to first-generation students as well as students from financially under-resourced communities and low-sending high schools and counties in Illinois.

It includes:

• A Program to celebrate students’ academic achievements, hear from current honors students at our three University of Illinois System universities (Urbana-Champaign, Chicago, and Springfield), and encourage students to consider attending one of the universities.
• A College Fair with college, admissions, financial aid, and housing representatives from the three University of Illinois System universities.
• Application Fee Waivers for future applications for admission to each university, for invited students who attend SAA.
• An Individualized Certificate of Academic Achievement to honor the state of Illinois’ most talented high school seniors.

Attendees include high school seniors, their parent or adult guest, and high school counselors, as well as University of Illinois leaders and staff.

Recent events have been held in late September at the UIC Dorin Forum at the University of Illinois Chicago.