Major: Computer and Information Science
Naila Sabahat initially planned to attend College of DuPage because of the dual credit courses she completed at her high school that were offered by COD.
These influenced her to enroll and pursue her general education requirements for transfer. In the midst of COVID-19, she began taking classes without visiting campus.
But Sabahat wanted more from her college experience. She knew very little about COD beyond her coursework and was unaware of the many opportunities available to students, even during a pandemic.
“I was not involved, and I wanted to become an active student,” she said. “A lot of people were not aware of what was happening at COD, especially new students.”
Sabahat began attending Student Leadership Council (SLC) meetings to learn more about the College and discovered a group of students engaged with the campus, even though they were doing so remotely. As she began to learn more about the College, Sabahat realized everything it had to offer.
“The diversity was amazing,” she said. “When I went to meetings, I knew I wanted to be a part of COD.”
COD offers so many opportunities to get involved and be heard.
Naila Sabahat
She then ran for the position of Student Trustee on the College’s Board of Trustees and was elected. In that role, she provided updates to the Board on student needs and activities while reporting back to the SLC.
“I wanted to be a voice for the students,” she said. “For example, the SLC discussed how the federal relief funds that the College received due to COVID-19 could best help students. I brought our thoughts to the Board in order to help them understand the student perspective on this important financial support issue.”
Sabahat, who then became SLC vice president, initially wanted to pursue biology but changed her major to Computer and Information Science. In 2023, she earned her Associate in Science degree, graduated with high honors and was named one of the outstanding graduate finalists.
She plans to transfer to Lewis University through the 3+1 program, which will allow her to take Lewis classes on COD’s campus as she completes a bachelor’s degree.
Even though she started at COD during a pandemic, Sabahat is grateful for all that she experienced and encourages other students to get involved.
“We want our peers to be included and to understand what is happening at COD,” she said. “The College offers so many opportunities to get involved and be heard. I am happy that my journey at COD led to so many positive experiences. College of DuPage was the best decision I ever made.”
Learn more about the Computer and Information Science program at College of DuPage