2024 - Meet Seth Hernandez

Elgin Community College student Seth Hernandez of South Elgin, Illinois, has been elected to serve as the student body president for the 2024-25 academic year. As an advocate for his fellow students, Hernandez said he is committed to creating a welcoming and inclusive campus environment.

“I want to use this position to show students the resources available to them and help them understand that they don’t have to navigate college alone. It’s hard to know who to talk to and where to go for everything,” Hernandez said. “I want them to feel empowered and know they are capable.” 

His desire to be there for other students comes from his personal experience as a first-generation college student. Hernandez, who began his academic journey at ECC in the summer of 2022, previously served as the president of the United Students of All Cultures (USAC) Club. While leadership roles didn’t come naturally to him at first, joining USAC and finding a solid, supportive community there inspired him to step out of his comfort zone and take on new challenges. 

“After high school, I was still shy when I first came here,” Hernandez said. “There were a lot of really nice international students at USAC, and it was cool getting to know them. Knowing that they came from a completely different country and were willing to talk to new people and make friends – I found a lot of community in that. When they were looking for candidates for student body president, I thought it would be a good opportunity to improve quite a few skills of my own and support others.”  

Academically, Hernandez gravitated towards engineering in high school and is pursuing an Associate in Engineering Science degree, which he hopes to finish in the spring of 2025. After ECC, he plans to transfer to a four-year university with a robotics engineering program.  

Get to know one of ECC’s current and humble leaders! 

Share one thing you do outside of ECC? I like to play the piano. I’ve been playing it for a few years — I’m not the best — but I do enjoy playing it in my spare time.  

What’s your favorite spot on campus? I don’t go to these as often anymore, but we have the piano rooms in Building H. When I first discovered them, I was ecstatic. As I became more involved, probably the Jobe Lounge or Student Life because I get to see my friends and meet a lot of new people.  

What’s one thing that makes your day? Kind people make my day. When someone is willing to be nice to you, even though they don’t know you, means a lot. 

Where’s one place you dream of travelling and why? I’ve been to Mexico, but I would definitely want to go back. My dad is from Mexico, and my mom is from Puerto Rico. I want to visit those two places because I have family there. I’d want to visit them and get to know them better because I haven’t in a long time, and it’s really pretty.  

Shout out an ECC staff member or peer! Oh man, just one? I’ve met a lot of great people. Everyone from Student Life is really awesome. All the advisors and student workers, too. They’re really sweet. I also love all my friends and hope they see this. I’ve also had a lot of good professors as well.