OulooktOakton Community College Vol. 12, 2014

OulookOakton Community College1600 East Golf Road, Des Plaines, IL 60016

Ray Hartstein Campus7701 North Lincoln Avenue, Skokie, IL 60077

Copyright 2014. Published by the Office of CollegeAdvancement, 847.635.1806.

Carlee Drummer, Executive Editorcdrummer@oakton.edu

Janet Spector Bishop, Editorjsbishop@oakton.edu

Shannon Sweetnam, Feature Writerssweetna@oakton.edu

Nancy Nash Sidlin, Graphic Designernnash@oakton.edu

Margaret B. Lee, President

Board of TrusteesWilliam Stafford, ChairmanPatricia N. Harada, Vice ChairmanAnn E. Tennes, SecretaryTheresa Bashiri-RemetioJoan W. DiLeonardiKyle FrankJody WadhwaDaniel Alferes, Student Trustee

Founded in 1969, Oakton Community College (District 535) includes Maine, Evanston, New Trier, Niles, and Northfield Townships and serves the residents of Des Plaines, Evanston, Glencoe, Glenview, Golf, Kenilworth, Lincolnwood, Morton Grove, Niles, Northbrook, Northfield, Park Ridge, Skokie, Wilmette, and Winnetka.

Visit us at www.oakton.edu

Cover: Students enjoy taking “selfies” after the 43rdcommencement on May 20, 2014.

Opposite page: Oakton’s March production of Romeo and Juliet directed by Performing Arts CenterTechnical Director Anthony Churchill.

Connecting What Matters, Oakton’s strategic plan for 2013-2017, affirms

an invigorated commitment to student success. Becoming an Achieving the

Dream institution last year enabled the College to build the momentum of

fostering the attainment of academic, career, and personal outcomes. This

issue of Outlook showcases so clearly the importance of helping students

achieve their dream of earning a degree or certificate. In the words of

Margaret Mead, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed,

citizens can change the world; indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

—The Editors

tOakton Community College Vol. 12, 2014

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6From Concert Hall toPolitical Arena: OaktonStudents Dream BigRecent Oakton grads Jessica Walkerand Edet Nsemo are unstoppable,unforgettable, and unabashedlyready to tackle their next academicchallenge.

Manufacturing:Reengineering What’sPossibleLong before local students reach college age, Oakton educates themabout the new world of manufactur-ing. Last year, more than 500 middle- and high-school youth touredlocal manufacturing businesses andlearned about career opportunities inthis growing field.

Following that CuriosityChicago author Rebecca Sklootspoke to an Oakton audience duringWomen’s History Month about herbestselling book, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, and howcommunity college helped set her on a path to success.

The Art of Justice Oakton’s Creating Justice Symposiumbrings politically-engaged artists andactivists to campus to take a closerlook at what it means to create politically engaged art.

Speaking to the World With a rich array of course offeringsin 13 languages—including Arabic,Hebrew, Hindi/Urdu, and Japanese—Oakton has one of the most compre-hensive modern language curricula ofany community college in the region.

Electing to ServeAll politics is local – certainly forZainab Khan and Elena Papastefan.From interning in a Congresswoman’soffice to helping a State Representativebuild a Web site, these studentselected to create positive change.

Another LookOutlook reconnects with alumniArthur Swidzinski and MichaelKosciesza, as they prepare to releasea full-length documentary about theirepic skateboard journey acrossAmerica.

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From Concert Hall to Political Arena

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Edet NsemoEDET NSEMO’S PATH to success has run through Afghanistan, Japan,Thailand, and the Philippines—far fromthe straight and narrow. “I attended asmall, Catholic high school in the QuadCities—but in the middle of my fresh-man year, we moved to Chicago, where I shifted to a large, urban school,” heexplains. “The culture shock was just too much: I dropped out my junior year.”Eager to earn his high school equivalencycredential, Nsemo ultimately found hisway to Oakton, where he took classes to complete his G.E.D. Four years later, unsatisfied with his

career as a movie theater manager, hejoined the Marine Corps and wasdeployed to Afghanistan, where hereceived a Purple Heart after his vehicleblew up an improvised explosive device.Nsemo, who was not severely injured,remained on active duty, travelingthroughout the Pacific region and thenworking at the Pentagon for the assistantcommandant of the Marine Corps. “Itruly loved being a Marine, but myoptions were pretty limited without acollege degree,” he says. In 2012, he leftactive duty, moved back to Chicago withhis wife, Alicia, and enrolled at Oaktonon the GI Bill. After returning to the College, Nsemo

—an honors student—never stoppedmoving. In addition to being an All-USAIllinois Community College AcademicTeam nominee, he served as StudentGovernment Association president; wasactive with both the Veteran’s Club and

the Excellence in Teaching AwardsSelection Committee; and interned forCongresswoman Jan Schakowsky. “Edet is an exceptional leader and teambuilder with a clear vision,” notes AnnMarie Barry, director of Student Life.“He makes hard work fun and always accomplishes what he sets out to do.” Nsemo graduated in May 2014 with

an associate in arts degree, and he’sready for the next step: earning a bache-lor of arts degree in political science atDePaul University. “I didn’t just come toOakton to get a degree,” explains Nsemo.“I came on a mission to create a betterfuture and nothing, absolutely nothing,can stop me.”

Jessica WalkerJESSICA WALKER, WHO graduated in 2012 from Oakton with high honorsand an associate in fine arts degree inmusic, is one of the youngest membersever to play with the College’s renownedSix Piano Ensemble. The 23-year-oldingénue never thought she would be amember of this “precision team of performers.” When Glenna Sprague,Ensemble founder and coordinator andprofessor of music, invited her to join the group in the spring of 2013, Walkerdidn’t believe she was serious. “I’d beencompletely blown away at every one of their concerts,” she explains. “TheEnsemble is extraordinary. I never considered myself a good enough pianistto even be considered as a potentialmember! I thought Professor Spraguewas pulling my leg!”

She wasn’t. “Jessica is enormouslytalented,” Sprague says. “She’s a greatasset to the Ensemble.” And, accordingto Walker, what she’s experienced andlearned from being a part of the groupwill stay with her for a lifetime. Soon, however, Walker will bid farewell to the Ensemble and head to TrinityInternational University in Deerfield,where she’s been awarded a $20,000annual music scholarship to study musicpedagogy as well as music and missions.“I never would have received the schol-arship without starting at Oakton,” saysWalker, who was home-schooled, andadmittedly a little behind in math. “TheCollege gave me time to improve mygrades and take several music courses invery intimate classroom settings, whilemy time in the Ensemble helped megrow as a musician and performer andtook me to the next level in terms of precision and skill.”Walker, who juggles long rehearsals

with teaching piano at AMA Dance and Music School in Des Plaines, saysOakton opened doors to amazing oppor-tunities—including giving the only soloperformance at the Ensemble’s concertlast April. “I chose two really fun butobscure 20th-century circus pieces that I really enjoy playing! But I absolutelylove all the pieces I play with theEnsemble,” says Walker, whose favoritesinclude Symphony No. 1 in C Major, Op.21 by Beethoven and Legend in D Minor,Op. 59, No. 1 by Dvorak. “The wholeexperience has been life-changing.”

Start here. Go anywhere. Look around at Oakton and you’ll find that phrase emblazoned on banners, T-shirts, brochures, and more. Thousands of students start their journey here each year—bringing an astonishingarray of life experiences, skills, and backgrounds through the doors. Their goals are unique; their dreams unlimited—and Oakton helps them succeed on their own terms. Edet Nsemo and Jessica Walker are a case in point.

BigDreamStudents

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WHAT COMES TO MIND when think-

ing about manufacturing? Smoke stacks?

Dirty factories? Assembly lines? The

reality is far different. Manufacturing

today—an innovative, high-tech industry

—generates a multiplicity of well-paying

jobs. From developing high-performance

prosthetics for the world’s top athletes

to building a rocket that cuts the time

to reach Mars in half, manufacturing

professionals operate sophisticated

technological equipment and are just as

likely to be found behind a computer

than on the shop floor.

In 2011, the Chicago metropolitan

area boasted some 411,000 manufactur-

ing jobs, second only to metropolitan

Los Angeles.* During the next decade,

analysts project that more than 3,400

manufacturing jobs will open every year

—underscoring the growing need for

highly-skilled employees. That’s where

Oakton is stepping in.

In addition to offering associate in

applied science degrees in manufacturing

and mechatronics, and five certificates

in areas ranging from CNC/CAM

programming to supply chain technology,

the College is reaching out to younger

students before they graduate from high

school, educating them—and their

parents—about the new world of

manufacturing.

In October, Oakton partnered with

the City of Evanston, the Chicago Cook

Workforce Partnership, and several other

organizations on the second annual

Evanston WestEnd Manufacturing Day,

a tour of eight manufacturing companies

in the City’s WestEnd industrial district.

More than 90 eighth graders from five

Evanston middle schools got a first-hand

look at everything from printing and

making night vision filters to creating

luscious desserts and metal working

lubricants.

Moving up a few grades to high

school, Oakton hosted its seventh annual

Manufacturing Expo in March—a day of

workplace tours and information-sharing

about hot careers in the field. But this

year, before a single student set foot on

the Des Plaines campus, the College

piloted two Parent Information Sessions

to lay the groundwork. Faculty and staff

introduced the full range of manufactur-

ing careers, walked parents through the

Expo experience, and reviewed educa-

tional opportunities at Oakton.

“We recognize that parents play a key

role in shaping their children’s career

choices,” points out Colette Hands, Ed.D.,

director of workforce development and

corporate training. “If parents believe

that manufacturing is still a low-skilled

‘dirty’ profession, they may discourage

their student from exploring these jobs.

We wanted to raise awareness about the

many opportunities in this area.”

Manufacturing:What’s

Reengineering

Possible

*Locating Chicago Manufacturing: The Geography of Production in Metropolitan Chicago. Howard Weil, February 2013. University of Illinois at Chicago’s Center for Urban Economic Policy.

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On Expo Day, 450 high school

students from Evanston Township, Maine

East, Maine South, Maine West, New

Trier, Niles North, and Niles West con-

verged on campus. After a greeting from

U.S. Congressman Brad Schneider (10th

District), the teens enjoyed lunch and a

series of fast-paced, youth-focused

videos produced by Edge Factor, a media

production company that “makes manu-

facturers the heroes.” These stories high-

light the ways manufacturing solves

real-world challenges —from losing a

limb to rescuing trapped Chilean miners.

Fired up, the students then broke into

groups and left campus to check out 27

manufacturing facilities. Niles North jun-

ior Nahiyan Chowdry was enthralled.

“What a great experience! I have been

reading about manufacturing, but on my

Expo tour, I got to

see how products

are actually made,”

he says. “The

different machines

used at the plant

really grabbed my

attention—I’d love

the chance to work

with some of

them!”

“The word ‘manufacturing’ may

conjure images of car factories or heavy

equipment,” says Robert Sompolski,

Ph.D., dean of mathematics and technolo-

gies, “and while many companies do

produce these goods, so many of the

products we use in our daily lives—from

the food we eat to the computers we

use and the medicines we take—are

produced in the manufacturing industry.”

Mind the GapConcerned about the manufacturing skills gap in Illinois, U.S. Senator Dick

Durbin and Congressman Brad Schneider met with college and high school students, alumni, educators, and industry leaders at Oakton’s Skokie campus in April to discuss industry/education partnerships and how to provide careerpathways for manufacturing students. Coordinated by Merrill Irving, Jr., Ed.D.,Oakton’s associate vice president for continuing education, training, and work-force development, the event began with a tour of the College’s manufacturinglab. Senator Durbin and Congressman Schneider listened intently as facultyand local employers—including Technology and Manufacturing Association ofIllinois Chair Brian Panek, vice president of Panek Precision—made the case for expanding industry/education partnerships.

Student Patrick Walton typifies how such partnerships can lead to career success. Walton studied civil engineering at Marquette University until themoney ran out. After bartending for a decade, he was ready for a change—and a steady paycheck. “I started taking manufacturing classes at Oakton,”Walton explains, “and that got my foot in the door.” Jesse Gabriel, manufacturinglecturer, connected Walton with Cummins Allison, a global leader in producingcurrency counters, sorters and scanners, check-deposit, and casino-ticket processing solutions. On track to graduate with his associate in applied sciencedegree in manufacturing technology next fall, Walton is now the top machinistin his union. “I’m truly prospering—more than I could ever have imagined,” hesays. “And I can’t see myself anywhere else.”

Both elected officials are committed to closing the manufacturing gap.Senator Durbin introduced the Community College to Career Fund Act to helpcreate partnerships between two-year colleges and businesses that will traintwo million Americans for jobs in high-demand industries such as health care,advanced manufacturing, clean energy, and information technology.Congressman Schneider introduced the AMERICA Works Act, that creates anindustry-recognized, nationally-portable set of credentials for these skills.

Clockwise from left: Area high school studentsenjoy Manufacturing Expo; Congressman BradSchneider greets Expo participants; ColetteHands, Ed.D., director of workforce developmentand corporate training, welcomes students; Edge Factor producer and host Jeremy Boutspeaks to Oakton’s manufacturing partners at a special reception.

United States Senator Dick Durbin (right) greets alumna Octavia Vesser as Oakton’s MerrillIrving, Jr., Ed.D., associate vice president for continuing education, training, and workforcedevelopment, looks on.

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CuriFollowing thatHow a community college helped launch a

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people who understood science and

could convey the subject to the public.”

Her professor urged her to apply for

graduate writing programs, but she

resisted. “I told him I couldn’t imagine

giving up on my dream of becoming a

vet. Then he delivered these decisive

words: ‘Letting go of a goal doesn’t

mean you’ve failed, as long as you have

a new goal in its place. That’s not giving

up—it’s changing directions.’”

Thus encouraged, Skloot headed for

the University of Pittsburgh’s master of

fine arts in writing program, choosing

“Forgotten Women of Science” as her

required manuscript topic. Henrietta

Lacks was on the list, but Skloot quickly

realized the story of this unsung heroine

—and the HeLa cells—could fill an

entire book. The rest, as they say, is

history: The Immortal Life of Henrietta

Lacks was born.

Skloot spent a decade conducting

research: delving into issues of poverty,

science, medical ethics, and racism while

slowly earning the trust of Lacks’ children

and extended family, who were highly

suspicious of anyone taking an interest in

their mother’s cells. Published in 2010,

Henrietta Lacks spent three years on

The New York Times bestseller list.

Now, Skloot writes, teaches, and

travels the globe, speaking about her

book and related scientific and ethical

issues. But as she told the Oakton

audience, “These days I spend a lot of

time talking to students about my path

through college and how it led me to

writing. My advice to them is this:

Follow your curiosity. Don’t have tunnel

vision. Take classes that interest you,

even if they’re outside your major. When

you hear things that make you curious,

ask questions; follow that curiosity

wherever it might lead you, and let

yourself get swept away.”

REBECCA SKLOOT NEVER FORGOTher biology professor’s casual referenceto Henrietta Lacks, a poor African-American tobacco farmer whose cancerous cells—taken without herknowledge in 1951—became one of themost important tools in modern medi-cine. Decades later, Skloot’s fascination culminated in the bestselling book, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks,chronicling Lacks’ story, her children’songoing struggles, and the “immortal”HeLa cells that led to breakthroughs ineverything from polio vaccine and AIDStreatment to gene mapping. But whileLacks’ cells launched a multibillion dollar industry, her family couldn’tafford health insurance.

Skloot shared this powerful story

with a packed house during Women’s

History Month when she came to Oakton

as part of the 2014 Chicago Writers Series.

She also spoke movingly about her own

educational journey, and how a community

college blazed the path to her passion.

Born in Springfield, Illinois, Skloot

grew up in Portland, Oregon, where she

struggled academically. Failing her

freshman year, she landed in an alterna-

tive school. To make up missing high

school credits, she enrolled at Portland

Community College—where she crossed

paths with Henrietta Lacks.

Earning an associate of applied

science degree in veterinary technology,

Skloot was determined to become a

veterinarian. She graduated in 1997 from

Colorado State University with a bachelor

of science degree in biology, but life can

take funny twists. At CSU, Skloot took

a writing class simply to fulfill the lan-

guage requirement. As she sweated over

veterinary school applications, her writ-

ing teacher pulled her aside. “Do you

realize you’re a writer?” he asked. “And

do you know there’s such a thing as a

science writer?” Skloot did not. “He told

me he thought the world needed more

iosityF number one best seller

Author Rebecca Skloot connects with local highschool students during her visit to Oakton inMarch.

“Tell me and I forget; teach meand I may remember; involveme and I learn.” – BenjaminFranklin since colonial times. Illustrating

Lampert’s point, the event also featuredAfro-Soul musician Ugochi (pictured),who, among other subjects, sang aboutthe dangers of genetically modifiedfood, and Rebel Diaz, who rappedthought-provoking revolutionary lyrics. Throughout the day, the College

hummed with workshops, panel discus-sions, and conversations focused oneverything from immigration and hiphop, to the history of calypso, whilescreenings of the award-winning shortfilms The Catastrophe and At LastOkemah!, and the videoplay MosqueAlert offered opportunities to delvedeeper into a variety of social issues. “The Symposium allows attendees to

see firsthand the importance of creativityand the humanities,” notes Mehdi.“Humanities are not just the classics westudy but the writers, philosophers,musicians, and poets who shed light onsocial issues and inspire us to act.”

SUSAN CRILE’S IMAGES of torture at Abu Ghraib. Picasso’s Guernica.Langston Hughes’ poems depictingracial subjugation. Whether bringingtogether disparate groups of peopleready to Occupy Wall Street or rally forequal rights for women, art possesses animmense power to engender change. Artdoesn’t just comment on social move-ments—it creates them. In other words,art matters.Enter the third annual Creating

Justice symposium, funded in part byOakton’s Educational Foundation. LastApril, this free event—now in its thirdyear—brought more than 200 artists,activists, students, and members of thecommunity to the Des Plaines campusfor a day of music, food, performances,and discussions exploring what it meansto produce politically engaged art.“We often don’t realize the impor-

tance of creativity in transforming ourcommunities,” says Mohamed Mehdi,Ph.D., associate professor of humanitiesat Oakton and one of the founders of

Creating Justice. “Art can help raiseawareness and activate us to imagineanother kind of world, with more justand humane social relations.”A College-wide collaboration among

the Department of Philosophy andHumanities; Women’s and GenderStudies; the Honors Program; Peace andSocial Justice Studies; and the Office ofAccess, Equity, and Diversity, CreatingJustice showcases the way Oakton worksacross departments and programs to pro-vide interdisciplinary learning experi-ences. Each year, the celebration bringsa wide range of artists and activists tothe College, connecting Oakton to local,national, and global social movements—and inspiring action. This year’s keynote speaker, Nicolas

Lampert, author of A People’s ArtHistory of the United States, captivatedthe crowd by placing art history squarelyin the rough-and-tumble world of politicsand the fight for justice, illustrating waysin which art has challenged power andbecome a part of cultural resistance

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INTERESTED IN ITALIAN? Curiousabout Chinese? Fascinated by French?With one of the most comprehensivemodern language curricula of any com-munity college in the region, Oaktonoffers students a plethora of options,with credit courses in Arabic, Chinese,French, German, Hebrew, Hindi/Urdu,Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish,Russian, and Spanish.“Our world is shrinking, and a global

perspective is increasingly important,”notes Marguerite Solari, Ph.D., chair ofmodern languages. “Learning a second—or even a third—language really expandsour students’ horizons. No matter wherethey’re headed, they can gain a broaderunderstanding of other cultures, improvetheir chances of getting into a first-ratefour-year college or university, and gaina competitive edge in the job market.”

More than 25 faculty members—almost all native speakers of the languagesthey teach—provide skilled instructionin conversation, literature, and composi-tion to students through day and eveningclasses at both campuses—and onlineFrench, Spanish, and Hindi/Urdu coursesare only a mouse click away.“Colleagues from other institutions areoften amazed at the breadth and depth of our courses, and our diverse faculty,”Solari says, noting that she tappedOakton’s 2011 visiting Fulbright languageteaching assistant, Zeeshan Ali, Ph.D., to teach the Hindi/Urdu course “longdistance” from India.“Home base” for many language

students are Oakton’s state-of-the-artlanguage labs. At both campuses, thelabs provide practice opportunities aswell as a place to finish homework, takeonline courses, participate in conversa-tion groups, and access tutoring. “I thinkthe labs are a little bit like Cheers, whereeveryone knows your name,” muses BethWrobel, lab coordinator. “Students often

stop by just to say hello, even oncethey’ve transferred. We also help Englishas a Second Language students—andwe’re open to any district resident!”But language learning at Oakton goes

far beyond the classroom—and the lab.Active French, Hispanic, and JapaneseClubs give students an opportunity topractice speaking skills and learn moreabout the culture they’re studying. Eachspring, a Modern Languages Film Festfeatures a smorgasbord of movies inevery language the College offers (ahighlight of the 2014 Fest was The Lifeof Pi in Hindi/Urdu), and an annual contest encourages students to designposters focusing on one of the languagesavailable at Oakton—with a free lan-guage course as first prize.The robust program is a perfect fit for

students like Ah Lim, who personifiesthe word “versatile.” Although she wasborn in Korea, Lim grew up in Mexico,where she studied English and French.“I came to the United States to earn mybachelor’s degree in political science,”

she explains. Now working in Oakton’slanguage lab as a Spanish tutor, she iscompleting her general educationrequirements—and tackling everyFrench course the College offers. “I talkto my family in Korean and my friendsin Spanish—and here in the U.S., Ispeak English all the time,” she notes.“But I didn’t want to forget my French.My instructor, Richard Koerner, is amaz-ing! Even though I’m taking an onlinecourse, I feel like he’s right next to me,providing feedback and giving me anincredible amount of personal attention.” In most parts of the world, being multi-lingual has been an integral part of whatit means to be educated. For studentslike Lim, it’s a ticket to a great career.But that’s not all. Immersing herself indifferent languages and cultures hastransformed the way she sees the world,one syllable at a time.

Above: Students practice their Arabic in a conversationgroup led by Nnawa (Nina) Botros.

W rldSpeaking to the

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ServeElecting to

Elena PapastefanWHEN ELENA PAPASTEFAN gradu-ated with a theater degree from IllinoisState, her future seemed settled. “I primarily worked behind the scenes, buteventually realized that something didn’tfit,” she explains. In 2005, Papastefanbegan training in Web design at Oakton—skills she recently put to work building anew Web site for Laura Fine, StateRepresentative for Illinois’ 17th District.Fine is serving her second term in the

General Assembly, tackling issues frommaking college more affordable tocyberbullying. She knew that Web communication played a crucial role ineffective constituent service, but the jobdidn’t come with a ready-made Website—or the budget to create one.Fortunately, help was just a phone callaway. Last fall, Shiva Mohsenzadeh,Fine’s chief legislative aide, contactedOakton looking for a star student to helpdevelop the District’s Web site.Michele Reznick, Oakton’s coordina-

tor of computer information systems,knew exactly whom to tap. “Elenaabsolutely shone as a member ofOakton’s Association for InformationTechnology Professionals (AITP) competitive team,” she says. “Her communication skills, creativity, andtechnical knowledge were outstanding—and I knew she would be the perfect fit.”At the time, Papastefan was finishing

up a plethora of certificates—Web SiteDeveloper, Advanced Web Site

Sometimes, the most valuable lessons happen outside the classroom. Oakton students ZainabKhan and Elena Papastefan recently put their coursework to good use—and got a taste ofpolitics—when they stepped off campus to work with local elected officials.

Above: Elena Papastefan (left) and U.S. Representative Laura Fine discuss the finer points of the District’sWeb site. Opposite page: Zainab Khan outside the Glenview District office where she interned for U.S.Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky.

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Development, Web Site Support andMaintenance, and Creative SoftwareSpecialist—and she jumped at the chanceto gain some “real world” experienceand connect with the larger community.“Of course one can’t build a Web site

without technical skills,” says Papastefan,“but the first step is to identify clientneeds. So I met with Shiva andRepresentative Fine to discuss their goals.”High on the list was a simple navigationsystem, prominent placement of Districtnews, and easy-to-find contact informa-tion. Based on this feedback, Papastefancreated a streamlined site featuring legislative updates, a District map, Fine’sbiography, opportunities to sign up for e-newsletters, and more.During the course of the project,

Papastefan accepted a full-time positionwith the Preferred Hotel Group, whichoperates luxury hotels and resorts in 85countries. As an internet booking engine(IBE) implementation specialist, shedesigns Web reservation pages for manyof these properties.This new job, however, didn’t put a

dent in Papastefan’s work for the District17 office. The site—www.repfine.com—will launch this summer, and Fine couldn’tbe happier. “We are so fortunate to haveOakton right in our backyard,” she notes.“Students like Elena are such a wonder-ful resource—with so much to bring to the community. It was a pleasureworking with her and with Oakton—a win-win partnership for all!”

Zainab KhanAS A NILES NORTH HIGH School student, Zainab Khan and her peersshared a desire to succeed academicallyand a burning ambition to move on tocollege. But she soon noticed that someof her friends faced serious barriers totheir dreams—simply because they wereundocumented. “The United States issupposed to be a melting pot,” Khansays. “Why are we making it so hard forthese kids to succeed?” The inequity justdidn’t seem fair, and she wanted to help.At 18, Khan wasn’t sure what she coulddo—but she knew college would provide

new opportunities. When she enteredOakton in 2013—a recipient of the pres-tigious Ernest C. Wentcher Scholarship—Khan jumped into the StudentGovernment Association and landed aninternship at U.S. Congresswoman JanSchakowsky’s Glenview District Office.Congresswoman Schakowsky takes

her Internship Program seriously: it’s notabout making coffee. “Our interns workdirectly with constituents and see theday-to-day operations of a Congressionaloffice,” she explains. “Many times thisexperience solidifies their decision to gointo public service. I am so proud of that.”Khan fielded requests about every-

thing from veterans and social securitybenefits to White House tour tickets.Frequently, constituents would ask forhelp with immigration visas, and in spiteof Khan’s high school history, the com-plexity of the issue was eye-opening. “Ihad no idea the extent to which a delayedvisa could put someone’s life on hold,”she marvels. “I worked with one manwho was desperately trying to sort out hispregnant wife’s visa, because they wantedto be together for the baby’s birth.”

When the phone wasn’t ringing, Khanresearched remedies for constituentproblems—which agency to contact, the kind of paperwork needed, how theDistrict staff might be able to help. Shealso staffed the Congresswoman atimmigrant rights and health care rallies.“That was amazing,” she recalls. “Wehear a lot of negative things about theAffordable Care Act, but listening to realpeople talk about how the AFA changedtheir lives is truly moving.”“Zainab sincerely cares for constituents

and wants to help” says Ann Limjoco,Congresswoman Schakowsky’s suburbandirector. “She has the perfect personalityto relate to and empathize with them,and truly embodies the type of internswe look for: young people who want tomake a difference in people’s lives.”“My time as an intern gave me direc-

tion,” says Khan, who wrapped up herinternship in April. “I plan to completemy Oakton courses, transfer, and earn a bachelor’s degree in public policy. Andit seems like everywhere I turn, doorskeep opening.”

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ON JUNE 2, 2008, four young adventurersset out to “discover America.” Oaktonstudents Arthur Swidzinski and MichaelKosciesza skateboarded 950 miles in 35days—from Millennium Park to TimesSquare—while two high school friendsbiked alongside, capturing everymoment on film. Outlook profiled thisremarkable feat—and the documentarythe students planned to produce—thefollowing year (“Shred America,” Vol. 7,2009). At the time, Swidzinski andKosciesza had just begun editing thefootage that follows the travelers throughcities, small towns, congested highways,and even the Appalachians as they battleeverything from media taunting andinclement weather to suspicious statetroopers and worn-out sneakers.

Five years later, this dynamic duo isstill making waves, juggling burgeoningcareers in film and television as they workto wrap up Shred America. Swidzinski, avideo editor/motion graphics artist atSega of America, Inc., in San Francisco,and Kosciesza, assistant editor forNatGeo, truTV, and DiscoveryID in NewYork City, acknowledge that the docu-mentary has taken longer to producethan anticipated, presenting challengesthey were initially too naïve to grasp.

“Developing a self-funded documen-tary can take years, but Mike and I neverconsidered reducing the film’s length orcompromising quality to complete thepiece sooner,” explains Swidzinski, whoexpects to release Shred America earlyin 2015.In the meantime, the two young men

aren’t resting on their laurels. Workingwith partner Tomasz Wysocki, an animator/director/screenwriter who also hails from Illinois, they produced,filmed, and edited the psychologicalthriller White Walls, which debuted atthe 2012 Cannes Film Festival—andhave now turned their attention toanother short thriller, Dennis is Dead.Swidzinski and Kosciesza, who

studied television post-production atColumbia College, credit their success to skateboarding and to Oakton—in justabout equal measure. “Skateboarding inspired us to experi-

ment with our camcorders back in highschool—which ultimately morphed intoShred America,” recalls Kosciesza. “Idon’t think we would have found our wayinto film without skateboarding. Andattending Oakton was one of the bestdecisions of my professional career.Because the College was so affordable, Iwas free to be creative and explore a widerange of courses and subjects, knowing I wouldn’t be mired in debt later.” Swidzinski agrees, noting that he still

uses the skills he learned in Oakton’sIntroduction to Business class when hemakes presentations at Sega. “And theCollege also offered great resources for

studying art—something that’s close tomy heart!”Although both

have moved on to successful careersand new horizons,some things neverchange. Koscieszastill gets around his Brooklyn neighbor-hood on the Essence skateboard he usedto coast into Times Square at the end ofhis epic 2008 journey, while Swidzinskihas immersed himself in the SanFrancisco skate scene. And even thoughthe two live more than 2,500 miles apart,they continue to persevere on what theyhope will one day become a cult classic.“The people who said we couldn’t

skate across America, couldn’t make thisfilm, couldn’t make a living as artists—we’ve proven them all wrong,” saysKosciesza. “And here’s our advice forOakton students today: keep your headin the game, tap into all the resourcesthe College offers, and take advantage ofthe opportunity to network with facultywho can support your dream.”“You never know when networking

will pay off,” Swidzinski adds. “As youprogress through your career, you’llreceive hundreds of ‘nos,’ but with theright connections, you’ll eventually getto ‘yes’—and one yes beats all the noescombined.”

LookAnother

America

Oakton alumni tackle rough terrain skateboardingthrough the Allegheny mountains on their way fromChicago to New York City in 2008.

Visit www.shredamericafilm.com for more information about their upcoming documentary.

Small Shrimp, Big Deal

At first Oakton sophomore Mike Buffo-Genykthought he’d found a tiny alien during an aquatic sampling of the Des Plaines River in his Introduction to Environmental Science class.Instead, he had netted something almost asinteresting: a Mississippi grass shrimp(Palaimonetes kadikensis), a crustacean nativeto the Mississippi River basin—and the firstdocumented sighting of this species in CookCounty. “The shrimp’s presence indicates the river’s ecosystem is improving,” says Buffo-Genyk’s instructor Paul Gulezian, assistantprofessor of biology, who decreed the find “a significant discovery.” Although ultimatelyreturned to the river, Oakton’s tiny celebrity garnered local and national press coverage—from the Chicago Tribune and the Daily Heraldright up to the Community College Daily, published by the American Association ofCommunity Colleges.