ECC Celebrates Spring 2025 Commencement with Messages of Perseverance, Hope, and Purpose

Elgin Community College celebrated the achievements of the Class of 2025 during its two spring commencement ceremonies on Saturday, May 17. The ceremonies honored more than 500 graduates and featured two inspiring student speakers: Grace Sakabunda and Jack McGraw.

The Career and Technical Education and University Transfer ceremonies, held in the Building J Events Center, 1700 Spartan Drive, Elgin, Ill., marked a proud milestone for students and their families as degrees and certificates were conferred. Remarks were also delivered by ECC Vice President of Teaching, Learning, and Student Development Annamarie Schopen, EdD, ECC Board Chair Jennifer Rakow, and full-time assistant professor of engineering and 2025 Orrin G. Thompson Teaching Excellence Award winner Soma Chattopadhyay.

A Journey of Reflection and Forward Momentum

Grace Sakabunda, an international student from South Africa, shared her powerful story of academic redemption and determination in pursuit of a career in medicine. Graduating with an Associate in Science and transferring to the University of Illinois Chicago this fall, Sakabunda brought a prop to the stage — a rearview mirror — to emphasize a central theme in her remarks.

“This little mirror reminds me of something simple, but powerful: where you’ve been matters, but it doesn’t define where you’re going,” she said.
Sakabunda spoke candidly about her struggles with past academic performance and college rejections before finding a home at ECC. “Every college rejection felt like a detour. But ECC was the place that looked at me, looked past the past, and said, ‘Keep going.’”

She also recounted her early dreams of studying medicine, shaped by a congenital heart defect and childhood hospital visits. Sakabunda credited ECC professors with transforming her academic confidence. “You didn’t just teach content; you built confidence,” she said.

Her speech ended with a reminder to graduates to honor their journey and resilience: “When you glance at your own rearview mirror, don’t just see the mistakes or missteps, but see the miles you've traveled, the strength you've gained, and the grace that carried you.”

Finding Purpose in the Midst of Adversity

Also addressing the Class of 2025 was Jack McGraw, a graduate of ECC’s Human Services Program, who returned to ECC in 2023 after earning his bachelor's degree in psychology from Benedictine University. McGraw, who has cerebral palsy, spoke with heartfelt passion about the power of hope in the face of life’s challenges.

“As a Christian who aspires to be a substance abuse counselor and mental health therapist, I believe that hope is an unrelenting expectation that there will be brighter days, especially in the midst of great hardship and suffering,” he said.

McGraw shared how his journey at ECC, beginning in 2017, helped him find belonging, build leadership skills, and ultimately discover a calling to serve others. His work in the Human Services Program and involvement in the Human Services Club, alongside the support of professors, cemented his belief that "hope is never out of reach."

“Even though I have to consistently deal with frustrating challenges, I was made for greatness, and my specific call to greatness is to lift up those in need,” McGraw told fellow graduates. “Suffering can darken our lives for a time, but hope can enlighten our present and future.”

McGraw’s remarks were a stirring testament to perseverance. He encouraged his peers to embrace the obstacles in their paths as part of their growth. “Do not ever give up on your goals and dreams because you were made for greatness,” he concluded.

 A Class Defined by Grit and Growth

The Class of 2025 includes students from all walks of life — those balancing academics with work, parenting, learning new languages, or overcoming personal obstacles. ECC’s Spring Commencement celebrated not only academic success but also the diverse experiences and courage it took to reach graduation day.

“Graduates, today marks the culmination of your hard work, perseverance, and commitment,” Schopen said. “Whether your path here was straightforward or filled with unexpected turns, you’ve arrived at this moment because you didn’t give up. You studied late into the night. You worked jobs, cared for families, overcame personal challenges, and still made the choice to invest in yourselves and your futures.

“That decision to keep going is something worth celebrating. It’s a powerful act of hope. And that hope is what makes this day so special. Commencement isn’t just the end of a chapter; it’s the beginning of what comes next.”