ECC David Sam receives Distinguished Service award from Elgin Cosmopolitan Club
Elgin Community College President David Sam, Ph.D, JD, LLM, is the recipient of the 74th Distinguished Service Award from the Elgin Cosmopolitan Club.
The award, presented June 16, is given to a special group of men and women who have shown they are dedicated not only to family and business, but also to serving their community.
"Dr. Sam has such a dedication to the community," said Lisa Phin, a Cosmopolitan Club member. "His service to the community stood out and he was chosen for this award unanimously."
The Elgin Cosmopolitan Club was chartered on Dec. 7, 1927, and is part of Cosmopolitan International. The club has been in continuous service to the Elgin community for over 80 years.
Sam joins the Rev. Nathaniel Edmond, Floyd and Betty Brown, Jack Shales, Mark Seigle, and Dan and Karen Fox and other past recipients of this prestigious award.
"Community is very important" Sam said. "Community is what we stand for at Elgin Community College. It is a part of our name and one of the reasons we exist. It is important to remain committed to the community to be able to effectively respond to its needs. This award would not be possible without the outstanding support of our board of trustees, faculty, staff, administrators, students and the community we serve. I am honored."
Sam currently serves on the board of directors for the Elgin Area Chamber of Commerce (chairman since May 2015); Golden Corridor Family YMCA; and United Way of Elgin. He is also a member of the Alignment Collaborative for Education (ACE), which is a collective impact organization serving the 11 Northwestern Illinois communities around the Elgin Area School District U-46 school district, an active member of the Rotary Club of Elgin, and a member of the village of Streamwood Community and Economic Development Commission. He also serves on the Illinois Council of Community College Presidents.
Prior to his arrival to ECC, he served on at least a dozen boards. He has served as a former commissioner on two American Association of Community College commissions, one on diversity, inclusion and equity (2006-09) and the other on global education (2002-05). He is a member of the AACC-affiliated Presidents' Roundtable and a graduate of the Association of Community College Trustees Leadership Academy.
In June, Sam received the Gary W. Davis Ethical Leadership Award from the Illinois Community College Trustees Association. It is the first time in the award's history that it was conferred upon a college president.