2024 - From Student to Staff: Sarah Stayner and Logan Widtfeldt

Every now and then, Elgin Community College (ECC) can foster more than just friendship between its students. Sarah Stayner, office coordinator for student financial services, and Logan Widtfeldt, executive assistant of institutional advancement, found love in one another while attending ECC as students.

Through a mutual friend on campus, the two connected, later becoming Facebook friends on Halloween. Shortly after, they shared their first date on December 19, 2011, and married in 2019. They both graduated from ECC in 2013; Stayner found her place back at ECC in 2018, and Widtfeldt followed her path, beginning in his role in 2022.

“I’d always loved my time here as a student,” Stayner said. “From the events put on by student life to the various resources available. I knew that in the back of my mind when I was looking for a new job that ECC was close to home. I’ve always loved it, and the people I knew who worked there never complained.”

After ECC, Stayner and Widtfeldt attended Northern Illinois University (NIU) and entered career fields that were solid but unsatisfying. Stayner majored in organizational corporate communications and Widtfeldt in economics.

“The people were kind, and the benefits were fair, but a number of factors were telling me that it wasn’t the right place to be,” Widtfeldt said, who was working at an insurance inspection company as a human resources accounting administrative assistant at the time. “It was a good after-college job, but not a solid step towards the career I sought.” 

Similarly, Stayner’s job as a customer service representative for a company that manufactured ice cream flavorings did not help reach her career goals.

“I was struggling because I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do with my major,” Stayner said. “I’ve always had a passion for education and thought I wanted to teach elementary school at one point, but after interning with my old fourth-grade teacher in high school, I knew that wasn’t for me.”

As a student, ECC’s resources proved vital for Stayner. So, she returned and reconnected with her old professor, Sean Jensen, now ECC’s Assistant Dean of College in High School Programs. He explained to Stayner that to keep with her passion for education, you didn’t necessarily have to teach to be in the field.

With his advice, Stayner took a few continuing education courses at ECC and visited the Career Services department to sharpen up her resume. When a position in the Registration Office opened, she applied and returned to her roots as a staff member.

“When Sarah was in her private sector job, as good as the benefits were, she was coming home miserable most days of the week,” Widtfeldt said. “I saw her spirit lift when she started working at ECC, and in the back of my mind, I thought I’d love to work there, too, but I didn’t know what I could be doing.”

Widtfeldt shared Stayner's passion for education after his own interest sparked when he completed his capstone project at NIU, which focused on how obtaining an associate degree from a community college helps close equity gaps for minority populations. When his current position in the ECC Foundation opened up, he took a chance.

“I’m so glad I’m out of the private sector and doing something I truly care about,” Widtfeldt said.

For this couple, ECC launched their educational journey, connected them romantically, and helped them find their place in the careers they were meant to flourish in. Undoubtedly grateful, they strive each day to assist current and future students in benefiting as greatly as they have.

“One piece of advice I’d share with students is don’t sweat the small stuff,” Stayner said. “The next, and probably biggest, is that no one has truly figured it out. Part of the journey of life and in education is improving yourself and figuring it out as you go.”