Student Trustee the first step for Bartlett resident

Taylor Vitacco, the newly seated student member of the Community College District 509 Board of Trustees, wants to ensure that Elgin Community College students find fulfillment and feel comfortable. She is also committed to the pursuit equality for all students.

"I knew that if I became the Student Trustee, I could help create opportunities for other students to be happy," she said. "Being a minority, I believe it is important for everyone to be treated fairly and equally. Achieving that would make my job complete!"

Vitacco, a dual credit student from Bartlett, was involved in the Black Students Achievers, the Exchange, and Phi Theta Kappa during her first year, and saw the student trustee role as a way to deepen her commitment to campus. Her goal during her time as student trustee is to ensure that the Board of Trustees understands the aspirations and importance of every student at ECC.

"Being the voice of not just one student, but the entire college is a lot of responsibility, but it will

allow me to develop my leadership skills in new way," she said. With strong leadership skills and a passion for political science and government, Vitacco has her sights set on a career in intelligence, and possibly even the White House one day.

Vitacco was elected to serve a one-year term as student trustee through April 2021. She replaces Abigail Swick, who graduates from ECC this semester and will transfer to complete her biology degree.

"I greatly value the opportunity I was given to serve as the student member of ECC's Board of Trustees," Swick said. "Throughout my term, I was able to make an impact on the ECC community, but only with the help of my peers and the leaders of ECC."

For more information about the ECC Board of Trustees, visit www.elgin.edu/boardoftrustees.

Elgin Community College (ECC) is a comprehensive public community college, one of 48 statewide. ECC serves approximately 15,000 students each year. Programs of study include 25 major fields for university transfer, more than 130 career-oriented, occupational degrees and certificates, corporate and continuing education, and a full complement of pre-collegiate courses. The three-year graduation rate exceeds the national average and the average of peer colleges. ECC awards more than 2,200 degrees and certificates each year.