Student Leadership Council Elections

• Monday, Jan. 27 - Candidate Interest Form Available
• Friday, Feb. 21 at 5 p.m. - Completed Candidacy Nomination Due
• Monday, Feb. 24 - Candidates Confirmed
• Wednesday, Feb. 26 - Campaign Period Begins
• Friday, March 1 at 5 p.m. - Last day to withdraw candidacy
• Monday, March 3 at noon - Final specimen ballot posted
• Thursday, March 6 at 2 p.m. - Candidate Forum
• Wednesday and Thursday, March 12 and 13 - ELECTION DAYS
• Friday, March 14 - Final Results Posted Online

Candidates are listed in ballot order.

Kristen Joyce Lopez

Student Leadership Officer Candidate

Hello! My name is Kristen Joyce Lopez, and I’m from Carol Stream. I'm currently working on my associate in arts with a major in Psychology, while also getting involved with my passion for Political Science.

I currently serve as a Student Representative for SLC. This experience has deepened my passion for civic engagement and strengthened my commitment to making students' voices heard. Outside of COD, I’m deeply involved in politics. This past summer, I interned with a State Representative where I worked on legislation. The part that drew me to this job was the ability to advocate for the policies I cared about while learning stories of many constituents. I am currently a Congressional Intern for a Congressman, and my main job is to be the liaison between constituents and the Congressman. I am not running for this position simply to have the title, I want to continue to make a change and advocate for students. Students deserve to feel heard by the people in positions of power.

I've been involved with COD Votes, a non-partisan initiative that incorporates students and faculty to encourage students to use their voice and vote. I’ve led classroom discussions to educate students. I’m President and Founder of COD Cares. Since September, I’ve worked hard alongside a team to turn COD Cares into an official club. COD Cares aims to connect students with opportunities to get involved in their communities. I judge speech tournaments where I provide unbiased feedback to help competitors improve. My experience in public speaking has taught me to think critically and adapt under pressure, this would make me great for this role.

I’m not running simply to have a title. I’m running because I care about advocating for students. Regardless of if I get this position or not, I will continue to contribute to this campus. I want students to feel that they have a voice. I would be honored to continue this work and help create lasting change on campus. I am running for this position since I want to contribute to something greater than myself. I’m honest and dependable. My love for advocacy didn’t start yesterday, and whether I get this position or not, I will still be involved with making a change on campus.

Rima Shah

Student Leadership Officer Candidate

Greetings fellow College of DuPage students, I am running as an officer for Student Leadership Council, the voice of the student body. My goal is to enhance communication and ensure that all students have access to the resources they need to thrive.

As someone who is a first-generation student, I am navigating college and figuring out life in higher education just like many others here. I want to bring perspective about what it is really like as a student trying to navigate COD and what struggles they may be facing.

During my time at COD, I have taken up many leadership roles, such as the Communications Officer for the UNICEF Club, I actively promote initiatives that support global humanitarian efforts on campus. Additionally, as a Marketing Officer for Business HQ’s Marketing Division, I collaborate with a team to develop advertising materials that engage and inform students. These roles have strengthened my ability to connect with diverse audiences and foster campus engagement.

My experience as a Student Representative in the SLC last semester reinforced my belief that leadership starts with listening. Understanding students’ needs and advocating for them has been at the core of my role, and I want to continue encouraging a well-informed community that looks out for each other.

COD offers an abundance of opportunities—sometimes even more than local universities—and is home to a vibrant, ambitious, and kind-hearted student body. I would be honored to serve as the voice of this lively community and work towards building a safe environment enriched with the promise of opportunity.

I promise to provide the support that students require to succeed. Navigating college can be overwhelming, and I believe that advocating for clear, easily accessible resources can help students make informed decisions about their education, involvement, and opportunities.

Benjamin Lange

Student Leadership Officer Candidate

My name is Benjamin Lange and I’m running for Student Leadership Council Officer. I currently live in Wheaton and I am studying computer science here at the College of DuPage. I am interested in running for this position in order to make a positive impact on COD and further engage students with extracurriculars on campus.

Since I’ve started COD, I’ve been able to be a part of several clubs and organizations. I have been a member of the computer science club since my first semester and am now the current vice president. Being a part of leadership, I’ve learned to work in collaborative environments with other leadership members, organize projects and events and help students become more interested and engaged in computer science here. Over the summer and throughout the fall I was apart of the Poll Worker Project with many other students. We helped encourage voter registration in the 2024 federal election and signing up students to be election judges.

Having been a member of SLC meetings for a few months, I feel that I’ve gotten to know many of the current officers. I’ve learned how meetings are conducted and the responsibilities in maintaining this role. Having been in collaborative environments with others, I know the importance of working together to represent our peers.

One thing that I appreciate the most about COD is the community. Compared to other larger universities, COD’s tightly-knit campus is the thing that is great for getting to know others. Campus feels very familiar and walking around it is great and I’ll constantly see old classmates and professors I know. The sense of familiarity really makes COD feel like a special place. Additionally, the smaller size of COD allows for classes to be smaller and foster better learning environments.

Isabella Escobar

Student Leadership Council Officer and Student Trustee Candidate

My name is Isabella "Luna" Escobar. I live in the town of West Chicago- right by Sonny Acres! My major area of study is Political Science.

I am running for this position because I believe in the power of having a voice and using it to make a meaningful impact. Our opinions matter, and when we speak up, we can amplify our thoughts and turn them into action. I am deeply passionate about bringing positive change to campus, and I’m motivated by the idea of contributing to a community that values collaboration and growth.

Throughout my time at College of DuPage, I’ve been actively involved in various clubs and organizations, such as serving as Vice President of Fine Arts Studio, President of Latinos Unidos, and a mentor for the Peer Mentoring Program. I’ve also held roles as an Operations Officer with the Chaparral Activities Board, a New Student Orientation Leader, and Secretary of Business HQ. These experiences have shaped my leadership style and helped me develop key skills in organization, problem-solving, and communication.

My strengths include relator, individualization, arranger, input, and restorative. These traits allow me to connect with others, understand their unique needs, and bring people together to achieve common goals. I thrive in environments where I can use my voice and work alongside a strong team to create lasting change.

I’ve always admired how College of DuPage fosters leadership, and I’m eager to continue growing both personally and professionally through the Student Leadership Council. I’m excited about the opportunity to contribute to our community and help shape its future.

Maya Fuentes

Student Leadership Officer Candidate

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