Elgin Community College Names Student Leadership for 2026-2027 Academic Year

ELGIN, Ill., August 28, 2026 —Elgin Community College (ECC) has announced its three new student leaders for the 2026-27 academic year. Lynn Singh was elected as student trustee for the District 509 Board of Trustees. Ian Smith will serve as president of ECC's Student Body Government, and Radhika Chaudhari will serve as vice president.

Student Trustee: Lynn Singh

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Lynn Singh of South Elgin became interested in politics during her first government class at ECC. She started attending local protests while writing for her high school newspaper. In the 2025-2026 academic year, Singh was a dual credit student, finishing her senior year of high school at St. Charles North and her first year of college simultaneously.

Her history professor, Antonio Ramirez, encouraged her to apply for the Center for Civic Engagement, a regional hub for training civic leaders, political education, and promoting democracy. Although she didn't get in, Ramirez saw an opening for the student trustee position. Singh agreed, and quickly put together her campaign.

The race was close, but she came out on top. She's looking forward to being more visible and involved on campus this fall.

"I hope to connect with people," she said. "I want to be at as many events as I can be so I can talk to people and see what their thoughts are, and see what they need and how I can make that come to life while working with the board of trustees."

Singh is majoring in elementary education and is part of the PLEDGE (Partnering to Lead and Empower District-grown Educators) program with Northern Illinois University. She plans to graduate with her bachelor's degree from NIU in 2027.

Student Government President: Ian Smith

Ian Smith first heard of ECC from his two older siblings, who are both alumni. They spoke so highly of their experiences that it seemed like an easy decision to make, Smith said.

Smith started his second year in college this fall, and also his second year as a U.S. resident. Smith and his family moved to St. Charles, Illinois, from Pretoria, South Africa, about a year ago.

His aunt was the first family member to make the permanent move for work. After many vacations visiting their aunt, Smith's family, which includes three siblings and their parents, decided to make Illinois their home.

Smith immediately made friends when he began at ECC. He met friends through honors classes, and some friends insisted he join student government to help make a difference.

"I'd like to contribute to students being more engaged, and helping students feel safe on campus," Smith said. "I just want to leave ECC and student government in a better place than I found it."

Smith plans to study medicine and is looking at local colleges like the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) or Northwestern to transfer to after he graduates with his Associate in Science degree in May 2027. He currently hopes to become a surgeon.

Student Government Vice President Radhika Chaudhari

Radhika Chaudhari of South Elgin was looking to get involved on campus and try something new when she applied for student government.

Chaudhari is studying nursing and plans to transfer to UIC for her bachelor's. She currently works as a nursing assistant at Avondale Rehab Facility in Elgin. Chaudhari is also a member of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society and TRiO Student Support Services.

As she looks forward to this academic year, she's excited to work with Smith more, planning events and brainstorming ways to get more students involved in campus life and student government.

She also looks forward to her science courses this year, including microbiology. She hopes to get her nurse practitioner's license or a certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA) in the near future after her time at ECC.

Contact:
Elgin Community College
Communications
Office: 847.214.7838
Email: news@elgin.edu

About ECC: An Achieving the Dream Leader College and one of the Aspen Institute's Top 200 schools in the nation, Elgin Community College (ECC) is a comprehensive, fully accredited public community college and serves approximately 16,000 students each year Programs of study include more than 30 major fields for university transfer, a full complement of pre-collegiate courses, corporate and continuing education, and more than 130 career-oriented occupational degrees and certificates. ECC is also a U.S. Department of Education-designated Hispanic Serving Institution.

ECC NEWS MEDIA PROTOCOL
All members of the media should utilize the communications department as the first point of contact. The director of communications may be reached at 847-214-7838 or news@elgin.edu. All Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests must be submitted in writing to Erin Schmalen, compliance officer, at eschmalen@elgin.edu or via fax at 847-214-7375.