Oakton Announces Board of Trustees Outstanding Student Award Winners
(April 27, 2018) Oakton Community College announced six winners of the Board of Trustees Outstanding Student Award at its annual Student Leadership Banquet Thursday, April 26, in Niles. The honorees include Amanda Aragon (Niles, Niles North High School), Gabriel Chacon (Des Plaines, Maine East High School), Brian Chan (Des Plaines, Maine East High School), Brenda Cruz (Des Plaines, Maine West High School), Dante Espejo Ramirez (Des Plaines, Maine West High School) and Ashley Wolfe (Morton Grove, Mundelein High School).
Each year, the Oakton Board of Trustees recognizes five student recipients who have completed the college’s Emerging Leaders program with a $300 scholarship for outstanding leadership. Chacon and Cruz split the fifth scholarship and will receive $150 each.
“It is an honor to recognize the outstanding students who make Oakton Community College the wonderful institution that it is,” says Director of Student Life and Campus Inclusion Shedrick Daniels. “Co-curricular involvement is a major part of the college experience, and we believe that the students who walk our halls today will be the leaders who shape our nation tomorrow.”
Aragon is a four-sport student-athlete at Oakton, competing in women’s basketball, golf, softball and volleyball during the 2017-18 academic year in addition to working as a student employee in the college’s fitness center. She was captain of the volleyball team, and following graduation from Oakton in May, she plans to transfer to a four-year institution to play either volleyball or softball and earn a bachelor’s degree in sport management.
In addition to serving as a student employee in the Office of Student Life, Chacon is president of the Hispanic Club, a student coach for ¡ANDALE! at Oakton, student representative for the Oakton Diversity Council and a senator in the college’s Student Government Association (SGA). After graduation, Chacon plans to transfer to Northeastern Illinois University to earn a bachelor’s degree in communications, minoring in social work before pursuing a master’s degree in higher education.
After serving as president of the Gaming Club, he became a senator in the college’s Student Government Association (SGA). He served as Oakton’s student trustee while chairing the SGA’s Elections Committee and serving on the Excellence in Teaching Committee. Chan is also a member of the First Gen Club and Honors Student Organization in addition to having worked multiple jobs on campus as an orientation leader and student employee in Career Services. He finished among the final four in Illinois State University's 2016-17 business startup showcase and last year earned Oakton’s Outstanding Contributor to Student Life Award.
As president of the Early Childhood Club, Cruz leads the club’s volunteer efforts at the Salvation Army, helping serve breakfast for families with financial need. She has been a student leader for ¡ANDALE! at Oakton and the Hispanic Club and has also worked as a student orientation leader and student employee of Oakton’s College Program Board. Following graduation in May, she plans to transfer to Northeastern Illinois University to study psychology.
Espejo Ramirez has provided the Student Government with spirited, focused and productive leadership, serving as chair of the Excellence in Teaching Committee and Clubs and Organizations Committee, vice president, and later, president. He’s been involved in Oakton’s Habitat for Humanity Club for two years, including service as the organization secretary, and served as secretary for UNICEF at Oakton in 2016-17. He worked as a student cadet in the Oakton Police Department and volunteers for ¡ANDALE! at Oakton, where he has been an ally and resource for Latino students as they pursue their educational goals at the college. He intends to major in criminology and minor in computer science after graduating with honors in May.
As president of Oakton’s Black Student Union, Wolfe has worked in collaboration with the African Student Club on plans to form the Council of Color. She is a member of the Skokie Events Team and served as SGA Skokie special executive, working to bring Des Plaines and Skokie students together. She plans to graduate in fall 2018 and transfer to Columbia College in 2019.
