Persistence pays off for Oakton commencement speaker Janelle Silva

(May 10, 2016) You may have run into Skokie resident Janelle Silva as the onsite manager of the Skokie Farmers’ Market, while getting some exercise in one of the spin classes she teaches at the Skokie Park District or when lining up against her in a local distance race.  

On May 17, Silva will be delivering the commencement address at Oakton Community College, speaking to the audience about why persistence pays off.

Silva knows about persistence and that some goals take a little longer than others. A distance runner who has competed in marathons and triathlons around the world, she is accustomed to outlasting mental and physical challenges. Oakton’s 2016 spring commencement will mark the end of another long-distance event—her 15-year journey to earning a college degree.  

“I am very grateful to Oakton for making this moment possible. They have been flexible with my schedule and provided guidance one class at a time, some online, some evenings, and some weekends.  Without that flexibility, I couldn’t have worked full time, raised my daughter and fulfilled this dream,” she says.

There will be three special people in the audience who will be cheering Silva’s procession to break the tape. Her aunt, who has been like a mother and helped support tuition costs, will be flying in from New York. Silva’s boss and mentor, Ann Tennes, the new chair of Oakton’s Board of Trustees, also an Oakton alumna, has given her support and encouragement to help her on the path to completion. And, Silva’s 18-year-old daughter, Sara Wilson, who can’t remember a time when her mother wasn’t a student, but who has been particularly helpful with her mom’s math homework for the past few years. Wilson, who has received a scholarship to attend the University of Illinois College of Engineering this fall, will have her own graduation ceremony at Niles North High School 12 days after her mom’s big day.

“I wasn’t a dedicated student in high school,” said Silva, “So when I started at Oakton, I had some catching up to do. I was a mom with a three-year-old child and needed to organize my college time around family life. However, I quickly discovered that many of the students at Oakton had greater challenges than mine, and that was very inspirational.  In fact, in one of my first classes, there were students 10 and even 20 years older than me. Many of these students were immigrants learning English for the first time. It was inspiring to get to know them and to see how hard they were working toward their own goals. The one thing we all had in common was that we were trying to make something better out of our lives. So we all bonded over algebra!”

Silva will be earning her associate degree in liberal arts and continuing in the fall at Northeastern Illinois University to work toward a degree in political science.

“I chose this major after working in city local government for the past 10 years. I truly love my job and coming to work each day. I think a degree in political science it is the best way that I can serve my community at this time,” she explained.

The 36-year-old has worked full-time for the Village of Skokie in the area of marketing communications since 2005 and manages many Village programs and events. Silva also recently served as a moderator for a Coming Together in Skokie! Viva! lecture and led an educational session at the Annual Illinois Farmers Market Association Conference in February.

With her daughter going off to college, Silva will be able to take a faster pace with her bachelor’s degree, taking two courses per semester. She also is currently registered for a half Ironman in September and is scheduled to be a sponsored #Nike+ Run Club Pacer (at the 3:55 pace) in this year’s Chicago Marathon. As an official pacer, she will be encouraging runners who have set 3:55 as their own personal goal to keep up with the pace that she is setting.

Oakton Community College Commencement will take place on Tuesday, May 17, at 7 p.m. in the TenHoeve Center on the Des Plaines campus. It is a ticketed event for family and friends of graduates. A live broadcast of the ceremony begins at 7 p.m. on Oakton’s cable channel, aired in Des Plaines, Glenview, Park Ridge, and Skokie. Rebroadcasts are scheduled for Friday, May 20, and Sunday, May 22, at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m.