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Jasmine McIlvenny
AJ Schraffenberger

From Diamond to Duty - Jasmine McIlvenny's Stakeholder Spotlight

2019 graduate making an impact with UIC police department

4/22/2026 9:14:00 AM

By: AJ Schraffenberger
From the moment Jasmine McIlvenny arrived at UIC, she knew she had found something special. The former softball catcher, who played from 2015 to 2019, describes her years on the field as more than just competition, they were the foundation for everything that followed. "UIC felt like home, a home away from home," McIlvenny said. "Getting to know my teammates, coaches, the staff in athletics, even people around the university, I felt like this is somewhere that I wanted to be."
 
That sense of belonging wasn't limited to the dugout. As she settled into campus life, Chicago itself became part of her growth. "Chicago in general is a great city," she said. "This is somewhere where I can learn, where I can grow as a person, be exposed to different people, cultures, ideas, just different surroundings."
 
Finding Her Calling in Law Enforcement
 
During her time as a student-athlete, McIlvenny discovered a new passion, law enforcement, thanks to a connection from her coach. "My coach actually spoke to Chief Booker," she said. "They would give us different presentations and she's like, 'Hey, I know you're interested in law enforcement. They've got an internship program.'"
 
McIlvenny applied and was accepted. She also worked student patrol for the UIC Police Department during breaks. The experience was transformative. "Once I was there immersed in UIC policing, I was like this is a fantastic department," she said. "I saw the people that worked there, what they did for the university, and it just felt like if I could get into this specific police department, that's where I wanted to be."
 
Building Community With a Four-Legged Partner
 
As her career developed, McIlvenny began looking for ways to support officer wellness and strengthen ties with the campus community. That inspiration came with four paws and a wagging tail. "I noticed that a lot of police departments in Illinois were starting to get therapy dogs," she said. "The therapy dog was centered around wellness."
 
She pitched the idea to her supervisors, did extensive research, and coordinated visits from departments with established programs. The proposal was a hit. "Our command staff was like, 'Oh, we love this idea,'" McIlvenny said. "Pawficer Ham has been with us since the fall of 2023, and it's been fantastic ever since."
 
The impact was immediate. "Everybody loves him around the university," she said. "He breaks that barrier a lot. People are smiling the second they see him—they're actually engaging in conversation."
 
A Home That Continues to Inspire
 
Whether behind the plate or patrolling campus, McIlvenny's journey is rooted in the same values she learned as a student-athlete: teamwork, service, and community. "If I make my roots somewhere, I like to stay there," she said. "UIC felt like the place where I could become who I wanted to be."
 
Today, with Pawficer Ham by her side, she's doing just that, serving the university that gave her a home and helping others feel like they belong too.
 
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