The Chicago Section IFT provides an annual graduate student teaching assistantship for the Food Science Product Development course at the University of Illinois. This support positively impacts the graduate student Teaching Assistant (TA), as well as the many undergraduate students enrolled in the course. In addition to receiving financial assistance, the graduate student gains teaching, supervisory, and mentoring skills. Undergraduate students receive more personal attention in the course when a TA is available to support the faculty member instructing the course.

At the University of Illinois, the Product Development course serves as the capstone experience for food science students. This course unites the knowledge and skills gained throughout their undergraduate program into a one semester-long hands-on learning opportunity.

The Chicago Section IFT provided $28,000 over four years (2012 to 2015), supporting one TA each year. In 2016, CSIFT established an endowment at the University of Illinois. The income from a $175,000 contribution provides annual funding for a teaching assistant in food science product development.