Dupage Policy Journal

Heidi Holan bagged nearly 18% of the vote to earn a second-term on the College of DuPage Board of Trustees Tuesday night.

With nearly 70% of the vote counted in the battle for three open seats that carry six-year terms, Holan led all eight candidates with 26,545 votes or 17.52 % . 

In the days leading up to the vote, Holan vowed to continue upholding the school’s mission of the college which is "To be a center for excellence in teaching, learning, and cultural experience by providing accessible, affordable, and comprehensive education."

Throughout the campaign, Holan also made it a point of highlighting all the school’s accomplishments during her time on the board, including balancing the budget while keeping taxes low, no labor strikes, the safe and successful transition to online and hybrid services due to COVID-19 and $9 million of debt service cost savings to taxpayers.

“I have taken seriously the fiduciary responsibility a trustee owes all stakeholders both in the stewardship of finances and quality of education,” Holan said.

Holan often reminded voters that she takes the job of making COD all it can be personally.

“The community college system, in particular the College of DuPage, has greatly impacted my family,” she said. “All four of us - me, my husband and our two sons – have been students at the College of DuPage and each of us possesses an associate's degree, three of them from the College of DuPage. We sought and received affordable and high-quality education, experienced the unique role of a student worker and launched careers as a direct result of a local business reaching out to the college seeking employees.”

COD has been recognized by Forbes Magazine as one of America’s Best Midsized Employers for 2021 and received an Award of Excellence for Innovation from the American Association of Community Colleges.