Waubonsee’s 2022-2023 Student Trustee Named Illinois Community College 2022 Lincoln Laureate
The Abraham Lincoln Civic Engagement Award recognized Juan Chiu, Waubonsee’s 2022-2023 Student Trustee, for his leadership and desire to make a difference in the world through civic engagement. The prestigious award is only given to one community college across Illinois. The award carries with it, a $500 stipend, along with a certificate signed by the President of the Lincoln Academy, Governor JB Pritzker, and the Chancellor of the Lincoln Academy Ronald Spears, and a challenge coin as a tangible reminder of four key principles that Abraham Lincoln modeled: courage, empathy, honesty, and integrity.
Waubonsee’s Strong Transfer Pathways Create Opportunities
Waubonsee Graduate and Army Veteran Returns to Finish School, Aspires to Be a Physician
Roland Asongakap, born and raised in Cameroon, Africa, spent much of his early childhood severely sick in hospitals. But that experience left him with a passion for serving others and an appreciation for the medical sciences.
At the age of twelve, Asongakap and his family migrated to the United States and settled in Aurora. During his senior year at Metea Valley High School, Asongakap played on the Varsity Soccer Team and met his best friend, who became his battle buddy. The two friends enlisted in the Army National Guard to pay for college. After completing advanced training, Asongakap became a Chemical Biological Radiological Nuclear Specialist. His initial desire to study at Waubonsee after high school was put on hold for an eleven-month deployment to Kuwait.
"There are numerous paths to success -- most of my friends who I went to high school with graduated with a bachelor's degree in 2023, but I have a versatile experience in the workforce and the military," said Asongakap.
On the Iraqi border, Asongakap endured long days in high-stress situations and was responsible for minimizing the spread of COVID-19 by decontaminating Iraqi equipment being transferred to Kuwait.
"Becoming a doctor was never my dream, but then I started to notice my love for science courses. I began to tell myself that if my mom could come to the US later and become a nurse, I could try something beyond what she had achieved," says Asongakap.
Academically, Asongakap has received state and national recognition for his service to the community and his service to the country as a veteran. In April, the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation announced Asongakap as a semifinalist for its highly competitive Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship. He was also nominated for the Gregg Chadwick Student Service Scholarship by the Illinois Community College Trustees Association.
Since graduating from Waubonsee, Asongakap has transferred to the University of Illinois at Chicago, where he plans to earn a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry and go on to complete medical school.
Waubonsee Community College’s affordable tuition rates and transfer pathways create a clear choice for students desiring to transfer into any college or four-year institution. Waubonsee students have transferred to more than 1,000 U.S. colleges and universities due to the college’s extensive guaranteed transfer partnerships and 2+2 plans.
Great Outdoors and Extensive In-Demand Experience: Automotive Technology Students Get Far More Than They Seek
If you plan a vacation this summer to Yellowstone National Park and find yourself at one of their four automotive service stations or stuck on the side of the road, you might have the opportunity to meet a student enrolled in Waubonsee Community College's Automotive Technology Program.
Last summer, six Waubonsee students salvaged an untold number of visitors' ruined vacations as full-time YPSS employees. On any given day, they were called upon to conduct 24-hour towing and vehicle recovery services on all domestic and imported car brands, including RVs and motor coach homes, and in some cases, as bison and other wildlife standby.
"My experience leading up to Yellowstone has been full of open doors and trying new things, which has opened so many opportunities for me now," said Waubonsee alumnus Cailey Borello.
Borello, who had never changed the oil on a vehicle prior to enrolling in Waubonsee's Automotive Technology Program, was attracted to the college because of the positive things she had heard about the Automotive Technology Program faculty and because she was offered a Gustafson Scholarship.
"I became fascinated with heavy-duty diesel engines and was so glad I could specialize in that area through Waubonsee's Automotive Technology Program." After earning her degree debt-free, Borello continued earning a Welding Certificate and was offered a six-month position as a YPSS employee, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity she initially believed would never be made available to her as a community college student.
[Waubonsee] students who become YPSS employees gain experience that any dealer, automotive company, or repair shop would want.”
- Jeff Guengerich, CEO at Yellowstone
Yellowstone is just one of the many opportunities the Automotive Technology Program provides. Waubonsee's Automotive Technology Program is ASE Master certified and an ASE Education Foundation accredited program. Classes prepare students to pass ASE certification tests. It can lead to careers in a wide array of specialties in the industry, making Waubonsee's automotive students highly competitive candidates.
First Generation Student Defies Odds by Tapping Into a Network of Access
Destiny Mitchell is a first-generation student at Waubonsee, who due to past interpersonal experiences, has learned to be hyper-independent. Mitchell enrolled at Waubonsee to pursue an Associate in General Science Studies with little guidance but found everything she needed and more at Waubonsee. At the beginning of the Fall 2021 semester, Mitchell desperately faced unstable housing and unemployment. She wondered, as a first generation student, if Waubonsee could do anything to help her turn her life around.
That’s when Mitchell met with Jenny Becker, Financial Education Coordinator. Since receiving financial counseling from Waubonsee’s Money Matters Program, Mitchell has effectively used the aid she received through financial aid and federal grants to pay off all her debts. She has been approved for Medicaid and has found new employment. Because of the financial counseling Mitchell received from Waubonsee's Money Matters Program, she has reported that her credit score has improved, and she is preparing to move into a home of her own.
Mitchell, who hopes to become a radiologist, has improved her grades and has taken advantage of all the resources Waubonsee offers, including free tutoring, individualized accommodations through the college's Access Center for Disability Resources, and assistance on how to navigate college through TRIO/Student Support Services. In addition, Mitchell has discovered a community of support through the InterVarsity Bible study group on campus.
I have taken advantage of everything I possibly could here at Waubonsee, and I'm better today because of it.”
– Destiny Mitchell
