Get to Know College of DuPage Student Trustee, Ayesha Shafiuddin

COD.edu
Growing up in Saudi Arabia, College of DuPage Student Trustee Ayesha Shafiuddin often daydream about getting an education, a vision she wasn’t sure was possible.
“Now, here I am getting an incredible education at COD with so many opportunities ahead of me,” she said. “Immigrating to the United States taught me that you can’t give up an opportunity to take a risk or keep moving forward. Taking risks has led me to where I am right now, and I’m excited to continue with that momentum.”
Living in Carol Steam with her family, Shafiuddin’s latest opportunity is serving as the new Student Trustee on the College’s Board of Trustees.
In her leadership role, Shafiuddin is looking forward to representing students’ voices and hopes to increase student participation on campus.
“I want to minimize student disconnection whether that’s through our classrooms, different clubs or differing campus engagement activities,” she said. “COD students have so much potential, talent and passion and are driven by a deep sense of purpose. It’s easy to come to campus, take your class and go home, but I want all students to feel like they are an important part of the community.”
As a current member of the Student Leadership Council and a student officer for the Computer Science Club, Shafiuddin knows what it takes to be a strong leader.
“Meeting the students, listening to their perspectives and then being able to present it to the Student Leadership Council, as well as the Board of Trustees, are all crucial to enhancing COD,” she said. “I want students to know they can reach out to me and share their thoughts. Leadership is all about listening to others and moving forward together to find a solution.”
In her second semester at COD, Shafiuddin is continuing to explore all academic disciplines as she contines her business track of study.
“I’m dipping my toes into everything because I want to absorb as much knowledge as I can,” she said. “Though I continue to explore various fields of studies for my undergraduate studies, I know that I will be pursuing my law degree after acquiring my bachelor’s degree. I’m fascinated by the court system in the United States. Becoming a lawyer will enable me to give back to my wonderful community in a way that will be impactful and positive.”