Jessica Batko was a high school student with plans for college after graduation. At first, she saw Gateway as a stepping stone for her to eventually attend a four-year college, but plans quickly changed.

“I initially thought that I was going to attend another four-year college and just earn all of my general education credits from Gateway,” says Batko. “I went to the other school for a few events and realized that I didn’t really like it, and liked Gateway so much more. It was smaller and felt more like a community, so I decided to just earn my associate degree at Gateway. I quickly realized that I could get the education I wanted entirely at Gateway.”

Batko was won over by Gateway for several reasons, among them the amount of student support she saw.

“The best part about Gateway is how much they care for the students and how much they provide for us. They’re really focused on students, and it’s very clear how much they want to help and support you,” says Batko. “Every semester, my instructors always started by saying, ‘I don’t want you here because I want you to fail, I want you here because I want you to succeed.’ I feel like at four-year colleges, you can easily get lost with the larger number of students there, but at Gateway, they cater to your individual needs.”

Enrolled in the Nursing program, Batko also cites the experienced staff as being another perk of attending Gateway. “Currently, all of my instructors are current or former practicing nurses, and they bring all of that experience into how they teach us,” says Batko. “You’re being taught by people who have done the job you’re training for, and they can tell you what to expect in a way that a textbook can’t. You get both the theory-based knowledge as well as the practical knowledge that you need to succeed.”

As the 2026 Kenosha Campus Ambassador, Batko looks forward to the opportunities her new role can potentially provide.

“When I found out that campus ambassadors spend a lot of time talking about how much they love Gateway, I just kinda thought ‘Well, I already do that, there’s probably no better person to apply for this than me’," says Batko, with a smile. “I just think there is so much you can do and share with people as a Campus Ambassador, and now I get to do that with potential students and the current student body.”

Batko calls Gateway home, and she sees it as that way for potential students as well. “There’s something for everyone at Gateway. Gateway is a perfect stepping stone for some, or the perfect final point for others.”