Endorsements: Ollayos, Hashmi for ECC college board

The race for two seats on the Elgin Community College board provides one of those nice problems where there are too many good candidates for two few positions.

In fact, all five of the candidates in the April 2 election strike us as well qualified and well versed on ECC's mission and its challenges.

The choices include Adriana Barriga-Green of Elgin, a dual language teacher in Elgin Area Unit District U-46; Nazneen Hashmi, an auditor and Streamwood Community Relations commissioner; patient advocate Shane Nowak of Elgin, who ran unsuccessfully for the board two years ago; incumbent Clare Ollayos, a veteran board member whose service dates back to 1995; and incumbent Ryan Weiss, a former student board member who was appointed to the board in December 2017.

All of them seem dedicated to the college and thoughtful in their goals for its continued progress.

ECC is a progressive student-focused institution that has much to be proud of, nationally recognized for some of its work. It's board works well in setting the objectives that have made it such a success.

Our endorsements go to: - Ollayos, whose long and active commitment to ECC and to local civic activities far beyond that, cannot be matched. She's a true public servant who puts a priority on promoting opportunities for success for all students and responding to the changing needs of the community.

-Hashmi, a strong believer in ECC's mission statement to "improve people's lives through learning." She impresses us, in particular, with her understanding that student success is dependent on a holistic approach, not simply an academic one; that a student distracted by nonacademic problems is less apt to achieve academic goals. "We need to mentor them, guide the students to the right path for education," she says.

We like all the candidates. We endorse Clare Ollayos and Nazneen Hashmi.