Meet Me Monday: Daniel Gidlund

Elgin Community College student Daniel Gidlund has served as the Student Trustee on the ECC Board of Trustees since fall 2025. Running for the position was never part of his plan, despite a lifelong love of politics.  

“It has been the perfect introduction to what government does; what being on a legislative body is like,” Gidlund said. “I never thought I would have this experience, and it has been pretty incredible to get that so early in life.” 

Gidlund chose ECC for a fresh start. After starting off as a “car-to-class” student, he was eventually encouraged to join the ECC Center for Civic Engagement by director Antonio Ramirez, PhD. Soon after, he was invited to attend the Bellwether College Consortium in San Antonio, Texas, alongside ECC’s President Peggy Heinrich, EdD, VP of Teaching, Learning, and Student Development Annamarie Schopen, EdD, and Ramirez. “I decided to run for student trustee the day after I returned. It was pretty chaotic at the time,” Gidlund said. 

Looking back at his three years at ECC, he is proud of the progression he’s made. “I have grown so much as a person because of all of it,” Gidlund said.  

Gidlund will graduate this semester with his Associate in Arts and plans to transfer to a four-year university to study public policy. 

Read more about Daniel below!  

What is one of your study hacks or habits? Teaching other people about what you are learning. I used to create slideshow presentations when I was in high school, and I really needed to get the information. It is easy to retain information if you can explain it to someone else. 

What is one thing that really makes your day? Coffee. I just love coffee, especially vanilla latte.  

What is your favorite meal to cook or eat out? I am into chicken sandwiches, it doesn’t matter where they are from, they are all pretty good. 

What is your favorite spot on campus? There is a carpeted block on the second floor of F. I love that spot, it is random but cozy.  

What surprised you about ECC? I never thought that in college, there could be such a strong, supportive sense of community. When we did karaoke for Welcome Weeks, there were people supporting their friends, and more importantly, they did it for people they didn’t know. People like each other here. They don't even know each other, but they coexist nicely. 

Would you like to give a shout out to any ECC staff, faculty, or peer? Professor Ramirez, because if he didn’t encourage me to join the center, I would have kept just going to class and going home. Gema in Student Life, she always gives me really good advice, no matter what. 

What advice do you have for new students? Doing something that no one would expect you to do often leads you down a really good path. You can take opportunities that you normally wouldn’t, and then you can end up surprising yourself.