Jasmine Rattanavongsa: Don't be afraid to make the right choice

My time at Elgin Community College has been a journey of self-growth and rediscovery of myself. From financial hardships to mental health struggles — surviving on my own wasn't that easy. Sometimes, I would ask myself... Am I good enough? Can I really give back to my community if I don't have my act together?  

Two years ago, I was planning to attend school in the city, with my roommate picked out and all of my classes chosen for me. I was living "every girl's" dream. However, when it was time to pay for my semester. I immediately started crying to my parents as I was not able to afford that kind of money. So, I withdrew myself from there and decided to go to a community college instead. At first, I was hesitant to come here due to the amount of backlash I've heard from my peers. But it was the best decision I've ever made. I got to study my program at a reasonable cost, receive tons of mentorship from my advisors, and now I’m on my way to transfer in the fall of 2025 to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign for a bachelor's degree in political science.  

As far as my involvement outside of the classroom, it has brought me many great opportunities. Professors like Jason Kane and Todd Ramljak were one of the few people who encouraged me to get involved around campus. After working at Student Life, I figured why not step out of my comfort zone. From there, I went on to be the executive secretary for Student Government and joined as a member of Phi Theta Kappa.  

I also had the privilege of attending the ICCSAA Student Leadership Conference. It was so much fun. I had the chance to participate in the workshop sessions, meet lifelong friends, connect with many incredible leaders across the U.S., and learned the importance of being a role model.  

This leadership position not only enables me to find my true self, but it also expands my horizons as well. Therefore, it's okay to try something new. I encourage others to be encouragers themselves.  

Jasmine Rattanavongsa, '25

Elgin, Illinois 

Associate in Arts