Elgin Community College Celebrates Spring 2025 Graduates

ELGIN, Ill. - Elgin Community College (ECC) celebrated the accomplishments of its Spring 2025 graduates on Saturday, May 17, with two commencement ceremonies filled with pride, gratitude, and powerful personal stories. Held in the Building J Events Center, 1700 Spartan Drive, Elgin, Ill., the ceremonies recognized students from ECC’s Career and Technical Education and University Transfer divisions.

A total of 249 graduates participated in the morning Career and Technical Education (CTE) Ceremony, while approximately 318 took part in the afternoon University Transfer Ceremony.

Each ceremony featured a student speaker who delivered messages of resilience, transformation, and community—hallmarks of the ECC experience.

At the 10 a.m. CTE ceremony, Jack McGraw, a graduate of the Human Services program, addressed the audience with a moving speech about perseverance and advocacy. McGraw, who lives with cerebral palsy and uses eye gaze and augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) technology, spoke about his journey at ECC and his goal of becoming a certified substance abuse counselor.

“ECC has had a profound impact on me from the moment I started going here in 2017 to today,” McGraw said. “The human services program is beyond incredible — my professors and classmates have felt like my second family.”

McGraw plans to continue his education in a master’s program in either marriage and family therapy or clinical mental health counseling.

At the 2 p.m. University Transfer Ceremony, Grace Sakabunda, an international student from Johannesburg, South Africa, inspired the crowd with her story of academic growth and personal discovery. Sakabunda came to the U.S. to pursue her dream of becoming a doctor and is graduating with an Associate in Science degree. She credits ECC’s support systems — including the International Student Homestay Program, caring faculty, and her involvement in the Black Student Achievers (BSA) — for helping her thrive.

“When I first came to Elgin Community College, I was struggling academically,” Sakabunda shared. “ECC changed that for me. I learned how to study, how to stay focused, and most importantly, how to believe in my potential.”

Both ceremonies were livestreamed for family and friends who could not attend in person on ECC’s YouTube channel.

ECC’s spring commencement marks a significant milestone for hundreds of students pursuing career goals, advanced education, and new opportunities. For more information, visit elgin.edu/commencement.