By ERIC RODRIGUEZ, JRN 111 STUDENT
Compassion and a love for theoretical physics are at the heart of everything River Collins stands for. A physics major at Moraine Valley Community College, Collins is currently in her fourth semester and recently assumed the role of president of G.A.S.P., the Gender and Sexuality Progress club.
At a time when many queer students are feeling under attack, for Collins, G.A.S.P. represents more than just a club; it’s a source of belonging. “It’s nice knowing I can be open and be myself,” she says.
Collins joined G.A.S.P. just two weeks into her first semester, hoping to find a safe space as a queer student. Knowing someone in the club helped her feel more at ease.
“Pretty quickly, I started involving myself in the club whenever we were doing events,” she said. “Over time, because I was working on so many things and getting to know people, I ended up running for secretary in my second semester.”
To queer students who may be struggling, Collins offers hope: “No matter how things are, no matter how hard life is, there’s always a way through, and the people around you are the guide.”
River Collins, G.A.S.P. president
After serving as secretary, Collins was nominated for president in her fourth semester. “No one else ended up running against me,” she said, laughing. “It was kind of anti-climactic.”
Though she finds the position rewarding, she admits it comes with challenges: “It’s a lot of planning and a lot of thinking of how to make the club better. A lot of people have low energy this semester, so we haven’t been able to do as much as we’ve done in the past.”
As a trans woman, Collins always had signs pointing to her identity, though she didn’t fully understand them at the time.
“I wasn’t acting the way I was expected to by peers, and I wasn’t fully comfortable around the boys in my class,” she said. “It wasn’t very fun.”
She describes feeling like she was wearing a mask during her early years.
“When I became more socially aware, I started to realize I didn’t like how people perceived me,” she said. “It wasn’t negative, it just didn’t feel right.”
Fortunately, Collins had some support at home: “For my sister, there was no issue. She’s queer herself.”
Her parents were a bit more skeptical, but they listened and talked it through.
“They started to understand me and my feelings,” Colllins said. “They were able to be supportive and help me through my transition.”
Coming out, she says, was like having a weight lifted from her chest: “It’s something that I’m just incredibly grateful for and just lucky.”
She credits G.A.S.P. for helping her feel understood and accepted, and she says it was a relief to pull away the mask.
Collins also has a deep passion for science, which began early in her life. At first, she wanted to be an inventor, she said, but then she realized “that wasn’t a very realistic job path to pursue.” For a while, she wasn’t sure where to direct her passion, until inspiration struck in an unexpected way.
“It’s very silly,” she says, smiling. “But I was replaying the game Half-Life, and I ended up re-watching the opening cutscene. It gave the job description of the character you play as, and it said ‘theoretical physicist,’ and I thought that sounded pretty cool.”
“It was nice knowing I could just be open and be myself around everyone there.”
River Collins, G.A.S.P. president
After researching the field, Collins says she had a revelation: “This is what I’ve been looking for ever since I realized inventing wasn’t really a career path. I realized that my passion was more for understanding how the world works.”
In high school, she pursued physics rigorously, enrolling in both AP Physics 1 and 2. “It wasn’t easy; it was a lot of stress and struggle,” she says. “But I ended up pushing through because I just loved learning about it.”
When asked to describe herself, Collins says she’s “quiet but caring” and someone who always tries to do her best for others. She also credits her resilience to her gaming experience.
“I have a pretty thick skin, which I attribute to playing Counter-Strike,” she says. “It’s made me very stubborn and stick to my convictions about my beliefs. I make sure to stay kind and respectful to people—even if one day they’re not to me.”
To queer students who may be struggling, Collins offers a message of hope: “No matter how things are, no matter how hard life is, there’s always a way through, and the people around you are the guide.”
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