Jatniel Morales Gomez
Two Waubonsee Community College students will be honored among Illinois' top community college students. Waubonsee students Jennifer Tripathi, of Aurora, and Jatniel Morales Gomez, of Oswego, were chosen for the Phi Theta Kappa All-Illinois Academic Team.
The selections annually recognize outstanding students at two-year colleges for achievement and leadership in their classrooms, colleges, and communities. Nominees are chosen based on academic achievement, volunteer work, campus activities, honors, and awards.
Tripathi is a first-generation Waubonsee Class of 2022 graduate who did not think she would be able to go to college for many reasons. Tripathi has been able to overcome this self-limiting belief and has been the recipient of almost half a dozen private and community scholarships.
At Waubonsee, she was the recipient of the Roy and Hilda Baker Foundation Scholarship. Receiving this scholarship relieved Tripathi from having to worry about paying for college and allowed her to get involved in many leadership roles at the college, including serving as vice president for the National Society of Leadership, president of Students for a Diverse Society, member of Alpha Sigma Lambda, Phi Theta Kappa, and member of the Engaging Leaders Program. Tripathi also volunteered on the college's Latinx Heritage Month Committee and the Black History Month Planning Committee.
The recent graduate has won many accolades and believes it has been rewarding to see others recognize her hard work. "Getting selected is an amazing opportunity to prove my worth beyond what I thought was possible," said Tripathi.
This fall, Tripathi will attend the University of Central Missouri and continue her studies in communications with a specialization in sports marketing. She will transfer into the university as a junior with over 90 credit hours received from Waubonsee.
Morales Gomez has always been an optimistic student, even from the moment her family immigrated to Oswego from Mexico City. Armed with only an intermediate level of English, Morales Gomez entered her senior year of high school determined to leverage every opportunity in a new country. She used the adversity of assimilating to a new culture to her advantage by becoming an avid reader; each time she read, her English would improve, as would her grades.
At Waubonsee, Morales Gomez was determined to earn high grades to become eligible to apply for scholarships. Last year, Morales Gomez was the recipient of The Angelo and Marjorie Kleronomos Family Waubonsee Foundation Scholarship.
The biology major finished her spring semester with a 3.94 GPA. Her high grades also earned her an invitation to be a part of the Engaging Leaders Program at Waubonsee, which she gladly accepted as an opportunity to practice her English and get more involved.
Morales Gomez lives her life to give glory to God by striving to be an example to others of her Christian faith.
"This is a significant moment for me because what I am now is thanks to God's power and the effort I have put into learning and studying at Waubonsee as a non-native English speaker," said Morales Gomez. "There is nothing impossible for God when we put our trust in him."
Morales Gomez is entering her third year at Waubonsee. Upon graduation, she will transfer to Aurora University to study pre-medicine to specialize in gynecology and obstetrics.
The Illinois Phi Theta Kappa All-Illinois Academic Team is sponsored by the Illinois Community College Board and the Illinois Council of Community College Presidents. All honorees were recognized at a banquet in May by the Illinois Community College System.
