Before New York, There Was ICC

When Alex graduated from high school, he did not think college would be in his future. He was working at a restaurant and planning to attend barber school. While many of his classmates had already chosen a college and mapped out their next steps, Alex was unsure of what came next. More than anything, he doubted whether he belonged in higher education at all. 

“I didn’t think I was smart enough for college,” he said. As Alex prepared to leave for work one afternoon, his dad asked a simple question, “Do you really want to do this barbering thing?” The answer was no. 

His dad suggested something Alex hadn’t considered: taking classes at Illinois Central College. “I said, ‘I can do that?’” Alex recalled. “I thought I was too late.” 

Instead, he discovered he was right on time. With help from ICC’s admissions team, Alex enrolled in classes and began exploring an interest he had always carried with him: storytelling. What started as a plan to earn college credits quickly became something much bigger. 

At ICC, Alex found a community that encouraged exploration rather than expecting students to have every answer from day one. 

ICC made it okay to not have everything figured out. 

Alex Berger, ICC Graduate

That freedom allowed him to discover both his passion and chase his potential. 

Through courses taught by faculty members like Bill Poorman and David Smit, Alex developed the technical and creative skills that would shape his future career. He learned video editing, audio production, photography, graphic design, and visual storytelling, building a foundation he still relies on today. 

Outside the classroom, he found another opportunity waiting for him. 

After encouragement from Professor Debbie Hedemann, Alex joined Harbinger Student Media, ICC’s student-led news organization. It was here that he had his first experience working in a newsroom environment. He hosted a sports podcast, interviewed student-athletes, and appeared on camera.  

“Being at ICC sparked my creative passion and made me realize what was possible,” Alex shared. 

That experience helped launch a career in journalism. After transferring to Illinois State University and beginning his professional career in local television news, Alex accepted a reporting position with News10 ABC in Albany, New York. 

For Alex, the move represents another exciting step forward. But he knows the journey started long before New York. It started with a conversation, a chance on himself, and a community college that gave him the confidence to discover what he was capable of becoming.