2024 - Reflections and Vision: Q&A with Outgoing ECC President

Outgoing Elgin Community College President David Sam, PhD, JD, LLM, led the institution through 17 ½ years of growth and achievement from 2007 through 2024. Originally from Ghana, Dr. Sam’s journey in higher education began with a dream to study at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, which he pursued with determination. Under his leadership, the college saw significant increases in degree completion, a reduction in student loan debt, and major campus improvements. As Dr. Sam transitions to President Emeritus status, he reflects on his tenure and the bright future ahead for ECC. Responses have been edited for length and clarity.

Rumor has it that when you first visited Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, you already knew your way around because you had memorized the campus map. True? As a young child in Ghana, West Africa, I wanted to come to the United States and I wanted to be trained as a diplomat. And so there was this rumor has it that when you first visited Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, you already knew your way around because you had memorized the campus map. True? As a young child in Ghana, West Africa, I wanted to come to the United States and I wanted to be trained as a diplomat. And so there was this particular graduate school that trains most diplomats, Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy. So even before I finished high school, even before I got my baccalaureate degree, I would write to them, and I would read [admission materials] from beginning to end and saw campus photos over several years. The first day I drove to the campus in 1981, I knew the place because, for 10 years, I’d been looking at the publications multiple times.

Is it true that a college dean learned about you and offered you a scholarship? Yes. I had been so interested in going to Fletcher that, psychologically, I couldn’t go anywhere else.

I had scholarships to go to Big 10 universities and full rides for graduate school, but Fletcher didn’t offer me much money.

I applied for a scholarship from the Ghana government, and originally, I was told that the paperwork was in place. Later, they told me they couldn’t find my folder, so I resubmitted everything right before it was time to go to Fletcher.

When I arrived in Boston, the registrar asked how I would pay my tuition. I said I hadn’t received a scholarship response yet and was told I couldn’t register. Later in the evening, I went to the associate dean and explained that even though I had about half a dozen universities where I could do my graduate work, Fletcher had been on my mind for 10 years.

He asked me about the scholarship I said I’d applied for, and I explained that I had to resubmit. He asked when I thought I would get an answer, and I said, “Well, it could be by Thanksgiving.” But I also added there was no guarantee that I was going to get a scholarship. That impressed him. He said, “Young man, many people in your situation would have said it is in the bag and it’s coming, but you admitted that it wasn’t guaranteed.” He then took my paper and signed it for the semester. And that’s how I started at Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy.

What or who ignited your career interest in higher education? You said you were initially interested in becoming a diplomat, but now you’re sitting in the president’s office. My mentor, Dr. Mary Fifield, who was the dean of instruction at Harold Washington College in the mid-’80s. I was working at an accounting firm when I saw a grant position there — I applied, and she hired me for 2 ½ years.

I subsequently found a position as an assistant professor and coordinator of international studies at the College of DuPage (COD). In the meantime, Dr. Fifield moved from Harold Washington College to Mott Community College in Michigan. Toward the end of my first year, she called me about a dean’s position opening at Mott, but I indicated no interest in that. We spoke multiple times the following year, and toward the end of my second year, she told me that the position was still available. Again, I said I wasn’t interested. She asked, “David, what will you be doing in six years?” I said I’d be a tenured faculty member in charge of international education.

Then she said, “No, in six years, you will be a college president. Three years as a dean, three as a vice president.” I had never thought about being a college president. And so, Dr. Fifield was the one who ignited my interest in being in administration at the community college level. That was a pivotal moment in my career.

What would you consider your proudest achievement during your time here at ECC? I’m pleased that during my 17 ½ years, 57% of all the degrees and certificates ever awarded by the college were awarded during this time period. I could point to a few other equally important things. In 2009, we held a referendum, which changed the face of the campus.

When I arrived, Spartan Drive ended in the middle of the wetlands. Within two weeks of my arrival, a couple of community leaders took me out and said, “If you want to be remembered, join Spartan Drive to Randall Road.” I was able to work with the ECC Board of Trustees and the city of Elgin to join McLean Boulevard and Randall Road through Spartan Drive.

One accomplishment that is also special to me is the reduction in student loan debt. Student loan debt has been a national issue for several years now. By the time I got here, I realized that there were some students whose debt was higher than what I had taken out for my master’s and doctoral degrees. I thought that was unconscionable. So we had a great financial aid office that had just been reconstituted around 2007. Back then, 1,870 students were taking on $6.6 million a year in student loans. Today, 304 students take about $1.6 million. That’s a reduction of 80% in both the number of students taking loans and the amount taken. We can truly say that these students have been able to achieve their dreams with little or no student loan debt.

We earned Aspen Institute’s Top 25 community college recognition and made Aspen’s Top 150 five times. We also became an Achieving the Dream Leader College of Distinction. These are achievements we made while working collectively.

What have been the most significant accomplishments at ECC as they pertain to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion? We’ve been named the top DEI institution twice — once in 2014 and again this past June. Last year, we were recognized nationally with top awards. The most significant factor in this, though, is ensuring everyone (students, faculty, staff, visitors, etc.) has a sense of belonging.

You can do so many things, but if people do not feel that they belong, then they are not able to take advantage of the rich resources we have at our institution. And while that cannot be quantified very easily, the fact that we’ve recorded the largest Latinx population ever shows that people have a sense of belonging. As of now, over 50% of our students have Latinx heritage, which is very significant.

What are some of the biggest challenges you faced in your presidency, and how did you overcome them? I always look at challenges as opportunities. In 2006, just before I got here, ECC tried for a referendum and was defeated, so it was very challenging to attempt another referendum in 2009. By that time, we were in a great recession, and everyone was saying it was not a good time to go for it. That was challenging, but we went for it — and succeeded!

What opportunities do you see for ECC moving forward? You’ve laid a lot of groundwork with your amazing team. What do you hope to see after you’re gone? I will take this opportunity to thank the ECC Board of Trustees for making me President Emeritus, which will tie me very closely to the college for the rest of my life. ECC is clearly well-positioned for whatever level of greatness we seek to achieve. I see more and more of the same types of things that we’ve done. I see the college continuing to grow in excellence.

Can you elaborate on your vision and your objectives for ECC’s new Manufacturing & Technology Center and, ultimately, how it will benefit not only students here but the community? One of the things that became very clear during the pandemic was the disruption in the supply chain. Many products were manufactured abroad and never arrived here. These are items that could be manufactured here, but manufacturing has been outsourced abroad on a large scale in the last 20 to 30 or more years. Well, manufacturing is back! More and more is being produced here, so it’s important that we have facilities to train the people who will be in the labor force for years to come. Businesses and industries need that workforce, and ECC is responding to those needs.

As you reflect on the 17 years you’ve been here, what do you hope your legacy will be when people talk about Dr. David Sam and ECC? I think it will be different for different people. I don’t have a single legacy that I would hope people remember. If pressed, I would say the legacy is that over the last 17 ½ years, we assembled a group of outstanding faculty, staff, and administrators, some serving for many years. Their dedication and achievements have positioned ECC for continued success and a lasting impact on the community for many years to come.