As part of PCC’s ongoing work with its Student Advisory Council, we’re working to elevate student voices on our platforms.
The quotes below are from just a few of the diverse groups of students who have lent their voices and their stories to PCC. As we continue our work on the campus and in the legislature, we’ll continue to listen to student stories and learn through their experiences.
“We are not just a statistic or a group of bodies within an institution. First and foremost we are people who are trying to better ourselves and our current situation. Being first-generation comes with its own responsibilities aside from academics. These responsibilities can look like having to work two jobs, taking care of younger siblings, being a caregiver, and having to financially contribute to your household. Our one common goal with those in positions of a higher power is to simply change our quality of life.” – Sarahy Rodriguez, Moraine Valley Community College
“As I reflect on this school year, the accomplishments I am most proud of are initiating the Art Fellow’s Instagram and Arrupe Student Art Show. I made posters and told members of the Arrupe community to spread the word about Art Fellows. I was the only student employed as an Art Fellow, but it was not reaching the audience it was intended for, the students of Arrupe.” – Aliya Segura, Loyola Arrupe College
“I think my time as an undergraduate student aligned with a very unique time in history, with a global pandemic disrupting my sophomore year followed by the biggest racial reckoning of our generation. Being back in-person my senior year was nice, but I have to say it never felt the same as it did pre-pandemic. The excitement of coming to college and experiencing a college campus my first year is something I haven’t felt since then, though knowing that the new first years were building that same experience on campus this year was exciting to watch, and gives me hope and excitement to see what the next generation will accomplish.” – Ethan Chiu, Loyola University Chicago