'Becoming the best version of myself'

My friends have always described me with a unique word: Competitive. Basically, that means I have been hungry to accomplish more and to help myself and others become the best versions of themselves. That is what I have done during my time at Elgin Community College.

ECC boasts smaller class sizes, exceptional faculty and has one of the most diverse campuses in the nation. There are many other opportunities the college provides students, and I highly urge you to take advantage of them.

During my time at ECC, I served as the ECC Student Government vice president for 2016-2017, was able to advocate for our rights in Springfield, and attended national and international conferences such as Model Illinois Government and Phi Theta Kappa - all of which were subsidized by the college and made it easier for me to optimize my experience.

I intend to become a defense lawyer in hope of playing my part in creating a just society. I plan to major in economics and minor in Spanish to help achieve this ultimate objective of mine. The decision to pursue this academic pathway was inspired by my teachers at ECC.

While there are too many excellent instructors to name, Dr. Leticia Starkov and Professor Javier Coranado especially aided in sparking my curiosity for these subjects (Don't always believe everything on "Rate My Professor," kids!).

Also, I would suggest joining the honors program, as they are some of the most enjoyable classes that give you freedom to express and drive the course the way you may want it. Make friends and gain hands-on leadership experience by joining Student Government or any of the 20-plus clubs and organizations Student Life is proud to offer.

I have worked full-time, had a full-time overload of course credits, and still managed to be heavily involved in extracurricular activities during all of my semesters at ECC. I have honestly failed here and have been rejected, but I also stood back up and gained so much more. I have learned that the key to success is maintaining healthy relationships and being positive and open-minded.

Good luck for the 21st century!