Kishwaukee College seated Diego Gonzalez Zabala as the new Student Trustee on the College's Board of Trustees at the April meeting. Gonzalez Zabala was elected by his peers to the position and took over the role of outgoing Student Trustee Aiyanna Washington.
Gonzalez Zabala, of Sycamore, is pursuing an Associate in Arts degree with plans to graduate in the Spring of 2026. After Kish, he plans to transfer to a four-year college or university to study business administration with a minor in data science. At Kish, Gonzalez Zabala is a member of the National Society of Leadership and Success, president of the Business Club, marketing and public relations chair for Latinos Unidos, and a student worker in the Student Services department.
As Student Trustee, Gonzalez Zabala said he intends to ensure every Kish student feels like they belong by listening closely to their concerns and helping make meaningful changes to improve student experiences.
"As the Student Trustee, my primary goal is to serve as a strong and passionate advocate for my peers. I want to ensure that the student voice is heard and valued in the decision-making processes that shape our campus so that every student continues to feel involved and appreciated in this amazing campus," Gonzalez Zabala said.
Washington, of Rochelle, intends to graduate in May with an Associate in Arts degree. Following her time at Kish, she plans to pursue a bachelor's degree in psychology at Northern Illinois University.
"Aiyanna has shown dedicated service as our Student Trustee, and we are grateful for her leadership. The Board wishes her well in her next steps," said Bob Johnson, Chair of the Board of Trustees. "We are pleased to welcome Diego to the Student Trustee role and look forward to working with him."
Washington has served as Kish's Student Trustee since April 2024. Among the many initiatives accomplished during her tenure, Washington said the development of Kish's "all-in" tuition model, which includes fees and textbook costs in the price of tuition, is one of the most notable.
"I am most proud, in general, for being a voice for the student body. An example of
a time when it really stuck out was when I was asked for my opinions on Kish's new
"all-in" tuition. There were also many other instances where students approached me
with ideas or concerns, so getting to do something with those meant a lot to me,"
Washington said. "Overall, it was an amazing learning opportunity, and I feel like
I have grown so much as a person because of the position."
In addition to serving as the Student Trustee, Washington is a member of TRIO Student Support Services, the Black Student Union, the Student Government Association, and the National Society of Leadership and Success.
Learn more about Kishwaukee College at kish.edu.