2024 - Take Five with…Stephen Stassen

Stephen Stassen, emergency management administrator, is here for each of us on Elgin Community College’s campus. In his role, Stassen helps support routine matters like weather forecasts for special events and coordinating responses for potential major disruptions that may affect the college. “I get to work with many people from all different departments,” said Stassen. “Working with so many knowledgeable and passionate people is incredible.”

Before his start at ECC in 2021, Stassen did international humanitarian aid with All Hands and Hearts. Before that, Stassen lived in Colorado, working for the Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. Get to know the non-emergency side of Stephen Stassen, like his favorite dishes and a story about a polygraph test.

What would you choose if you could instantly be an expert at one thing? Attain the ability with perfect accuracy to judge a book by its cover.

What’s one thing that really makes your day? When the next slide in the slide deck perfectly answers someone’s question. 

What is your favorite meal to cook or favorite dish to eat out? I am a sucker for any type of dumpling type dish. Potstickers, samosa, matzah ball, empanadas, bao, and pierogi. 

What did you want to be when you grew up? In third grade, I wrote a paper about how my siblings and I would take over the family business. Due to my brother being the president and a spellcheck miss-click, I would be the sedentary president.

What is one surprising fact about you? One surprising fact about me is that I came very close to failing a polygraph for a background check. I was asked if I had driven recklessly, such as exceeding 100 mph. The truth was, I once did drive well over 100mph…but it was while working in an ambulance.