DaShontae Braboy: ECC provided me with the solid academic foundation I need to become a doctor

My journey at Elgin Community college has been rewarding to say the least. I came to ECC in summer 2015 with a GED, some college credit, and the hopes of finally receiving my associate degree. During my time at ECC, I supported my mother through her battle with cancer, lost my mom to cancer, and gave birth to a beautiful baby girl named Simone. Despite challenging life events, I never gave up on my ultimate goal of achieving my associate degree.

In the beginning, I appreciated ECC for their small class sizes, location and cost. After attending ECC, I realized there were many more resources and opportunities to be appreciative for. ECC offers on-campus childcare, which was a plus for me because that meant I could go to school with my daughter in very close proximity to me. It also meant I could focus on my education with the opportunity to visit my little one in between classes.

Furthermore, I had an amazing academic advisor while at ECC. My advisor, Carrie Gorr, mapped out my degree and periodically met with me to make sure I was still on track to graduate, which made transferring from ECC a breeze.

After ECC, I plan to attend Roosevelt University, where I will major in biology and get my Bachelor of Arts degree. From there, I plan to attend medical school at either Rush, Loyola or the University of Illinois at Chicago. I have always aspired to become an OB/GYN and ECC has provided me with the solid academic foundation I needed to move forward in my journey. My experience at ECC has been a positive one and I would recommend the campus to anyone and everyone in search of a great school that offers opportunity for future growth.

- DaShontae Braboy, Hanover Park