217 Today: Family of U of I freshman who died from hypothermia focus on prevention one year later

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One year after the death of University of Illinois freshman Akul Dhawan, his family is finding ways to remember him and move forward.
  • Photo: Courtesy of Ish Dhawan

Thursday, February 13, 2025

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Today’s headlines:

  • Seventeen university labs that research food and agriculture have stopped work after President Donald Trump froze the U.S. Agency for International Development last month.
  • Journalists from the University of Illinois are working with reporters in Sierra Leone to explore the issue of period poverty.
  • The Urbana Police Chief says a proposed city ordinance to require approval for police surveillance technology goes too far.
  • Former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan left the courthouse smiling even though a federal jury found him guilty of conspiracy, bribery and wire fraud.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn how safety on the U of I campus has changed since a former freshman died from hypothermia after going out drinking with friends a year ago.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Jim Meadows, Diana Zhang, Mae Antar, Dave McKinney and Emily Hays.

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Stephanie Mosqueda

Stephanie Mosqueda is a senior majoring in journalism at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign with minors in Spanish and public relations. She is the 217 Today producer and a reporter for the Illinois Student Newsroom.