2024 - Take Five with…Sarah Stayner

Many roles at Elgin Community College spill over and splash into multiple departments. That’s never been truer for Sarah Stayner, office coordinator of enrollment services. Stayner supports Admissions & Recruitment, Registration & Records, First Stop, Testing, Global Engagement, and Financial Aid. How does she navigate the college so seamlessly? When Stayner’s childhood dream of becoming a princess didn’t pan out, she enrolled at ECC as a student!

“I love working at ECC because it’s a welcoming, fun, diverse, and vibrant environment and community,” said Stayner. “Also, being able to take singing lessons! Yay for tuition reimbursement!” Before becoming an essential cog in what keeps ECC turning, Stayner worked a customer service job for a food manufacturer.

Read on to learn more about Stayner’s hobbies and interests! She shares a lovely story about her time in Japan on her honeymoon, and if you can’t find her, she might just be in line at Spartan To Go.

What would you choose if you could instantly be an expert at one thing? Speaking and understanding foreign languages, especially Spanish and Japanese. I took Spanish classes in high school and college, but I want to improve my Spanish to better assist our Hispanic/Latinx community. I know a few survival phrases in Japanese to get around when I traveled there, but I’d love to learn enough to have a basic conversation. I hope there will be a conversational Spanish class for employees here someday.

Where is the best place you’ve traveled, or where is somewhere you dream of going, and why? The best place I’ve traveled so far is Japan. I went with my husband for our honeymoon a few years ago, and we LOVED it. Public transportation, particularly the trains, is astoundingly efficient and reliable. The food was phenomenal, and the scenery was spectacular. I’m hoping to make a return trip soon. For those wanting to go to Japan, I highly recommend visiting teamLab.  

Cats, dogs, or houseplants? I have houseplants and love them, but I’m hoping to get a dog (specifically a rescue that’s some kind of poodle mix) in the future.

What’s your favorite spot on campus? The Spartan to Go and The Spartan Terrace (shout out to Jenn Loiacano for managing it and all the culinary/pastry/hospitality students and faculty for making such delectable dishes).

What’s on your playlist/podcast list? Lately, I’ve been listening to Miyavi (a Japanese guitarist/singer) and Postmodern Jukebox (a cool band that does vintage/jazzy style covers of popular/modern songs).