Sandy Kim

Already a Veteran of COD Leadership and Politics

Sandy Kim says she spent most of her first year at COD as one of those students who comes in, goes to class, and leaves. Kim, then 25 years old, was an army veteran; she had gone into the Army right out of high school. Now she is a veteran of student leadership and campus politics at COD—and a candidate for a two-year term on College of DuPage's Board of Trustees.

Within Kim's first year at COD, she was drawn into Student Leadership Council, and her involvement on campus snowballed. She became student body president, attending Board of Trustees and Leadership Council meetings. She began advocating for veterans issues and services and helped found the COD Veterans Association. She participated in the Mission, Vision, and Values project under President Chand, and she contributed to COD's accreditation process.

These experiences deepened her knowledge of the College and its mission, services, operations, and leadership. They also shaped her personal decision-making. She chose to participate more in politics, taking lobbying trips to Springfield on behalf of COD as well as veterans affairs. She developed relationships with legislators and attended meetings with current members of the Board of Trustees. Kim also attended a week-long residential program with NEW Leadership Illinois participants and members of the Conference of Women Legislators, immersing herself developing skills and relationships for public leadership.

Kim says she has watched a decrease in stability at COD, particularly in the Board and the administration. She says, "If I hadn't seen this slide, it would never have occurred to me to run for the Board. But this is something I feel compelled to do." She is saddened that the accomplishments of students and faculty, which are at the heart of the college's mission, are being eclipsed by other controversies. She believes that the core mission of education at COD is still going strong, but that the current climate will eventually negatively affect teaching and learning.

Kim, now 28, is currently a full time student at Illinois Benedictine, supporting herself with a staff position at the McAninch Arts Center at the College. She has seen COD from every possible angle—except faculty—but she may someday have that experience as well. Kim is studying political science as well as religious and gender studies, and she plans to attain a doctorate and join the faculty of a community college.