A GSU Story—Chastinee McNeil
The current work to transform how Illinois funds its public universities and their ability to effectively support and graduate the students they enroll underscores a clear vision for our state: one where its prosperity is predicated on a healthy postsecondary landscape anchored by well-funded four-year institutions as critical engines of opportunity. In pursuing a college degree, students access a world of more opportunity for themselves and their families and their communities.
This spring, alumni and students of the state’s public universities, including Governors State University Ed.D candidate Chastinee McNeil, discuss how their college experience not only clarified their career aspirations but shaped their personal mission, highlighting the indispensable role higher education plays in the lives of generating opportunity that is made possible by adequate funding.
Finding Home at Governors State University
As an Army brat, moving was simply part of life. Every few years meant a new school, new neighbors, and another community to get to know. Those experiences taught me how to adapt, but they also left me searching for a place that truly felt like home. I found that place at Governors State University (GSU).
From the first time I stepped onto campus, something just felt right. It’s hard to put into words, but GSU never felt overwhelming or impersonal. It had the opportunities of a university, but the feel of a small town. The campus was intimate enough that you recognized people, built relationships with faculty, and felt connected without having to navigate a massive institution.
One of the things I value most about GSU is its identity as a regional public university. My classmates came from Chicago, the south suburbs, Cook County, Will County, and surrounding communities, reflecting the diversity of the region the university serves. Learning alongside people with different backgrounds, perspectives, and life experiences made every conversation richer. As someone who has made the Chicago Southland my home, I appreciate being able to pursue my doctorate close to the community where I hope to continue building both my life and my career.
What makes my experience especially unique is that I’ve experienced GSU from several perspectives. I’ve been a staff member, an instructor, a teaching assistant, and now a doctoral student. Each role gave me a greater appreciation for the people behind the university and the intentional way they invest in students’ success.
That support became especially meaningful during my second semester in the doctoral program when I welcomed my first son. Like many new parents, I wondered how I would balance work, motherhood, and earning a doctorate. My professors in the Interdisciplinary Leadership program never made me feel like I had to choose. They challenged me academically while also extending grace during one of the biggest transitions of my life. Because of their encouragement and flexibility, I was able to continue moving forward without losing momentum.
Some of my most memorable learning experiences happened outside the classroom. Participating in the Becoming the Beloved Community trip to Alabama through GSU's Social Justice Initiative broadened my perspective on history, leadership, and community engagement. Seeing the Civil Rights Movement through an immersive experience reinforced the importance of partnerships, listening to communities, and understanding how the past continues to shape the present.
Joining the Doctoral Community Network has been another reminder of GSU’s commitment to connection. Bringing together doctoral students and alumni from all five doctoral programs has created new opportunities to build relationships across disciplines and learn from one another. As a doctoral student, I have been excited to see the university intentionally invest in creating spaces where scholars can connect beyond their individual programs
Today, I already see the influence of GSU in everything I do. My doctoral research focuses on postsecondary readiness in Chicago’s south suburban communities, and I recently launched the Southland Readiness Project, an initiative that works to connect south suburban schools, higher education, nonprofits, and community partners around a shared goal of improving postsecondary readiness, access, and success for students. As I reflect on my journey so far, I realize GSU isn't just helping me earn a doctorate. It is helping shape the researcher, educator, and community leader I hope to become.
As an Army brat, I spent much of my childhood learning how to leave places behind. Governors State University gave me something I hadn’t expected: a place to put down roots. It gave me mentors who believed in me, experiences that expanded my worldview, and a community that shaped the leader I am today. For me, that's the lasting impact of a strong regional public university. It doesn’t just prepare students for careers. It inspires them to become leaders who invest in the communities they are proud to call home.
Chastinee McNeil is a higher education professional and advocate based in the Chicagoland area who is passionate about creating a postsecondary landscape and opportunities that are accessible and equitable for all students.
As an Ed.D. candidate at Governors State University and former staff member at the institution, Chastinee brings a multifaceted perspective to higher education.Her research examines how school counselors navigate institutional structures and politicaldynamics to support postsecondary readiness for students in racially marginalized suburban high schools. She is also the founder of the Southland Readiness Project, an initiative aiming to strengthen postsecondary readiness through collaboration, research, and community engagement across Chicago's south suburban region.