by: Emma Fleming
Edward Passagi, a computer science major at Parkland College, is currently in his sophomore year. Passagi will be graduating from Parkland this semester and transferring to the University of Illinois for the Fall 2019 semester. The computer science student grew up in Indonesia. “I was born here in Champaign when my dad was finishing his master’s degree at UIUC,” Passagi said. “However, I was raised in Indonesia until I was 18 and then I came back here [United States] to continue my studies.”
After finishing his high school education in Indonesia, Passagi travelled back to the United States. When he first arrived in the States, he noticed that there were some differences. “It felt different,” Passagi said. “The communication barrier was definitely there which prevented me from communicating how I wanted to. However, it got better over time, and now I can easily communicate with other people. I am really glad to be able to experience the unique cultures and different ways of thinking here.”
One of the key differences that Passagi noticed was freedom of speech. “Freedom of speech is something that we do not have in Indonesia. People in the United States can freely express their thoughts, and I think that that is a good thing,” he said. “To say that people in the United States are privileged is an understatement; they are practically living a good life that many Indonesians do not get to experience.” When Passagi arrived in the United States, he had to learn how to navigate the society structure and customs that differ from Indonesia. At first, living in the States was not always easy, but with time he began to feel more comfortable.
One thing that sets Passagi apart from other students is that he is heavily involved in campus activities. The student works as a peer tutor in Parkland’s Center for Academic Success and participates in various clubs. “I always try to be involved in campus life and make friends and memories,” Passagi said. “I do that by attending several different clubs, fraternities, and other extracurricular activities. I am currently a member of the Math Club, the International Student Association (ISA), Alpha Phi Omega Service Fraternity, and Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society.”
The computer science student also has interests outside of Parkland’s campus life. Passagi loves music on many different levels. “I play musical instruments and I love to spend hours and hours playing music,” Passagi said. He even spends time creating his own music at home. Passagi mentions that he also considers socializing one of his hobbies. “I like to socialize and hang out with people,” he said. “I can’t stand being by myself at my apartment for extended periods of time.”
When asked why he chose to attend Parkland College, Passagi told the Prospectus, “I chose Parkland because I wanted to attend the University of Illinois while saving money. I wanted to save money by finishing my first two years at Parkland College. I also heard that Parkland has a very good relationship, as in transferrable courses, with the University of Illinois.” So far, Parkland has provided a strong first step in his educational career.
As Passagi prepares to graduate this May, he realized that he has enjoyed the Parkland experience. “I love the fact almost all of my classes are in a single building; I don’t have to walk outdoors during bad weather,” he said. “Cheap classes, in comparison to four-year universities, and small class sizes are also among the reasons why I love Parkland.” Not only are cheap classes and small class sizes a perk for Passagi, but he also enjoys how easy it is to reach professors. “Parkland has great faculty members and I can easily communicate with them during their office hours. I cannot really think of anything that I dislike about Parkland,” Passagi said.
A piece of advice that Passagi wanted to leave with Parkland’s student body is to, “Break away from your comfort zone. There are so many things to be experienced here like the unique cultures of different people and many other things. You will be missing out on a lot if you limit your social circle.” As Passagi prepares to continue his educational journey at the U of I, he encourages other students to make the most of the time that they have left at Parkland.
