2024 Texas Community College Student Advisory Council
These community college students will help advocate for policy solutions at the Texas Capitol
2024 Cohort
Colton Grahmann (he/him)
Odessa College
Hello, my name is Colton Grahmann. I’m a husband, dad, and now a nurse. I graduated from Odessa College in December of 2024 from the nursing program. As a parenting student I have been an advocate for other parenting students trying to make it easier or more accessible for people with children to get into college. As a parent I also strive to be a good influence and role for my daughter. My dream is to one day be a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner.
Sofia Jimenez (She / Her)
Del Mar College
Sofia Jimenez is a native of Aransas Pass, Texas. She graduated 3rd from Del Mar College’s Vocational Nursing Program in 2004. She worked as a geriatric and pediatric nurse throughout the Coastal Bend. In 2021, she graduated with honors and received an associate in psychology from Del Mar College. In 2022, she was inducted into Del Mar College’s Hall of Fame. She is currently pursuing an Associates in Mental Health and Drug Addiction Studies. She has a passion for giving back to her community. She has spent time volunteering at various non-profits throughout the Coastal Bend. She is a National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI) Greater Corpus Christi Facilitator, Team Leader, and advocate. She has served as Del Mar College’s Student Government Association’s (SGA) President, Mindful Viking’s President, Ambassador’s Vice-President, Phi Theta Kappa’s Vice-President, American Association of University Women (AAUW) President, and as a member of the National Society of Leadership and Success (NSLS). She has made Del Mar College’s Dean’s List multiple times and served on various Del Mar College committees, including the Return-to-Campus Committee, Bookstore Committee, and Ethics Committee. In 2018, she was determined to reestablish the GSA organization at Del Mar College. She had the honor of presiding over Del Mar College’s Safe Space organization for 3 years. She also had the privilege of being present to receive the Mayor’s proclamation establishing October as LGBT History Month in Corpus Christi. She also served as a board member of the Mosaic Project of South Texas and is currently serving on the Coastal Bend Wellness Foundations’ Community Advisory Board. She also served as a student representative of Del Mar College on the student panel at the 2023 Higher Edge Conference. With her passion and commitment in advocating for unrepresented individuals and her passion for improving the education system and the lives of future college students, Sofia has joined the 2024 Student Advisory Council Program in hopes of making a positive impact.
Igor Lucic
Houston Community College
Igor Lucic is a refugee from the Yugoslavian civil war who is currently studying Artificial Intelligence at Houston Community College. Due to this difficult upbringing, he is passionate about breaking down any walls and connecting people from all walks of life. You can see this in his past work. He has battled food insecurity in the nonprofit 'OpenMeal' by harnessing tech and being able to target the most at risk members of society. Now he is committed to leveraging AI and education to bridge gaps between communities and foster a world where technology transcends borders, connecting people and elevating the human experience for all.
Montoya “Toya” Thomas (She/Her)
Lone Star College
Montoya “Toya” Thomas was born and raised in Houston, Texas. She graduated from Lone Star College – University Park in Houston, Texas, with a degree in Communications and plans to continue her education in Public Relations. She began her journey as a secretary in the Black Student Union Club, where Montoya’s dedication and unwavering commitment paved the path to her eventual presidency of the organization. Montoya enjoys traveling, volunteering in the community, and advocating for foster youth in the justice system. Through her public speaking skills and her journey in foster care, Montoya intends to advocate for other community college students.
Dane Adams (He/Him)
Tyler Junior College
As an honors student, passionate advocate and community leader, Dane has dedicated himself to advancing the interests of East Texas both locally and regionally. Despite a non-traditional path through higher education, Dane’s journey has been rich with experiences that have shaped his professional development. Beginning at Trinity Valley Community College, Dane immersed himself in scholarly research, presenting his market analysis of Athens, Texas, during the Academic Learning Symposium. At Tyler Junior College, his commitment to the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society led to projects addressing the needs of first-generation students and establishing an International Relations organization. Transitioning to The University of Texas at Tyler, Dane continued his service through leadership roles in various student organizations. These experiences have deepened his understanding of East Texas and fueled his aspirations for urban and regional development. Throughout his academic journey, Dane remains grateful for the opportunities afforded by community colleges and is committed to uplifting others in East Texas while pursuing his career goals.
Chrischen Thompson
University of Texas at Austin (UT)
Chrischen Thompson is a driven student at the University of Texas at Austin (UT), majoring in International Relations and Global Studies with a minor in International Business Law. As a first-generation college student, Chrischen's journey is marked by ambition and resilience, fueled by his desire to serve his country through the Department of State in the Foreign Service, focusing on international security and private sectors overseas.
Chrischen's commitment to equity and access in education led him to join the State Authorization Network (formerly WCET), where he delves into understanding the challenges and barriers faced by individuals seeking post-secondary education, particularly those who have been recently incarcerated.
Driven by his own experiences as a non-traditional student, Chrischen is dedicated to reshaping the education system to support all learners equally, irrespective of their backgrounds. His passion lies in making education accessible and affordable to everyone who seeks it.
Beyond his academic pursuits, Chrischen finds solace in the kitchen, enjoying the art of cooking, and finds escapism in the enchanting world of the Harry Potter series through binge-watching sessions.
Myles "MLC" Lopez-Cepero (He / Him)
Austin Community College
Myles is an economics student at Austin Community College. Born in Austin, he was raised in Oklahoma, but decided to move back as an adult in the summer of 2021. In the time between moving back and starting college in the fall of 2022, he worked as a retail employee, Social Security contractor, barback, and TV production assistant, among other odd jobs. After starting college, Myles became the treasurer of the ACC Honors Student Organization, where he exercises his passion for fundraising. He has been the lead coordinator for the ACC Honors Lyceum, a discussion event series that promotes mutual learning outside the classroom. He is also involved with student government and shared governance.
In Student Government, he serves as treasurer, where he has assisted initiatives to expand access to menstrual care products across ACC campuses. The opportunity to participate in student government has led to him representing his student peers on the Student Rights and Responsibilities Committee and Curriculum and Programming Committee. Myles is motivated by building a positive legacy and giving power to his peers. He strongly identifies with the struggles of balancing employment, school, caring for family, and rising costs of living. With an economics background, he hopes to help advise economic policy and resolve economic inequity in the State of Texas. In his spare time, Myles enjoys playing sudoku, reading, and improvising on the piano.
Skye Kern (She/Her)
Odessa College
Skye Kern is a first-generation college student at Odessa College and mother of 3 amazing young men. Skye is pursuing a Bachelor of Applied Arts and Science in Leadership & Entrepreneurship, along with Associate degrees in Sociology and Psychology. Skye intends to use her higher education to build a successful business in the Permian Basin and continue giving back to her community. Skye is an active member of Positively OC, the Presidential Scholarship program at Odessa College, serving as a student leader online, on-campus, and in the community. In her free time, she spends quality time with family and friends and enjoys camping, hiking, and writing.
Joannette Casias (She/Her)
Palo Alto College
Joannette Casias, first-generation, non-traditional TRIO Sophomore student at Palo Alto College in San Antonio, Texas. Currently, she is pursuing an Associates of Applied Science in Business Management Operations and Entrepreneurship with the endeavor to achieve a Bachelor of Applied Technology in Operations Management program upon completion. She is actively engaged on campus as Palo Alto College Presidential Ambassador, Vice President of the PAC chapter in Ascender: Catch the Next, PAC Honors program, PAC chapter in National Society of Leadership and Success, PAC LeadHERs mentee, ACD Student Leadership Institute, ACD Student Engagement and Leadership, along with other clubs and organizations on campus. Last school year, she completed an internship assignment in the position of a Peer Advisor/ Student Ambassador for the Business Department for Palo Alto College. As of June 2023, she has an ongoing internship role with the State of Texas Bexar County Small Business and Entrepreneurship Department in which she has been working diligently in.
Joannette is a proud native Latina, who is strong in her faith, and loves to devote her personal time by serving in love, care, and support in her marriage, children, and her church. She is a part of her church ministries that outreach into the local communities, and at times, also domestically in the region. She loves to travel, paint, bake, read, and sing; as she is fascinated by art and she has a love for music. Her aim is to generate and impact positively with her priceless experience, knowledge, and wisdom; combined with her compassion, integrity, and resilience, for first generation, non-traditional minority students.
Courtney Paige (She/Her)
Dallas College
Courtney Paige hails from Wichita, KS, but wasted no time in finding her way to Dallas, where she seamlessly integrated into the local culture and became a beloved community figure.
A first-generation graduate from DCCCD, Courtney is currently pursuing her bachelor's degree in Human Development and Leadership at the HBCU Fisk.
In her professional journey, Courtney Paige stands out as a seasoned Relationship Manager, skillfully connecting leaders in both corporate and non-profit sectors. Passionate about cultivating impactful collaborations, she excels in constructing strategic relationships that bring about positive change. With a focus on skills-based hiring, Courtney empowers organizations to identify and utilize talent effectively. Her dedication to aligning skills with organizational goals has established her as a trusted advisor in talent acquisition, shaping dynamic partnerships that drive success for individuals and the organizations she serves.
Beyond her professional achievements, Courtney is a well-known traveler in the blogging community, having explored 47 countries. Regardless of her location, you can catch her belting out karaoke tunes or gracefully ballroom dancing. Living life to the fullest, she's making the most of every adventure.
Destiny Espinoza (She/Her)
San Antonio College
Desteny Espinoza is a Mexican American First-Generation Latina currently attending San Antonio College. Desteny is the current President of the Student Government Association at her campus and serves as the Chairperson for the Student District Council at the Alamo Colleges. Desteny was also elected to serve as the San Antonio College representative at the Texas Junior College Student Government Association and is former president of the National Society of Leadership and Success Chapter at SAC. She is passionate about student leadership and engagement. Her academic goals are to graduate from SAC and work her way up to earning her PhD in Education Leadership and work with future student leaders.