2020 - Melissa Mucci: ECC gave me opportunity to grow in classroom and as a leader

Growing up, I always knew I would attend Elgin Community College. However, when I was a senior in high school, I began to doubt my decision because so many of my friends were going off to universities and leaving the state. I was scared of being left behind, and I was also influenced by my peers and teachers who told me community college should be a back-up plan and not my first choice. This made me feel like I did not belong at ECC.

I stuck with my decision, though. When I started ECC, it took me a while to warm up to the new environment—for my first semester, I did not venture outside of the parking lot and my classrooms! I finally got involved on campus when I attended a Phi Theta Kappa informational meeting. PTK, an honor society specifically for community college students, finally provided me with a community of my own. From there, I connected with peers, began to participate in events, and saw all that ECC’s student community had to offer.

At the end of spring 2019 semester, I became the PTK Service Officer. In this position, I was surrounded by an amazing officer team and group of advisors that made this school feel like a home. I am grateful for ECC, because it gave me the opportunity to grow as a student in the classroom and as a leader on campus. I know that I made the right decision from the start.

Melissa Mucci ‘20
Associate in Arts
Streamwood, IL