DePaul University student and resident advisor Alyssa Hernandez was inspired by her recent trip to the White House, where she and a group of her fellow young leaders were praised by President Obama for their commitment to community service.

Hernandez, a 20-year-old junior majoring in public policy and geography, says her long-range goal is to return to the White House as the nation’s commander in chief. She’s well on her way. Two years ago, Hernandez was elected to a four-year term on the Rich Township High School District 227 School Board in south suburban Olympia Fields.

She also became active in the Young Elected Officials Network. At the organization’s national convention in Washington, D.C., earlier this month, David Plouffe, Obama’s senior advisor and one of the convention speakers, issued a surprising invitation. The network members were invited to a White House reception on June 17.

Hernandez and about 200 other young leaders from around the country returned two weeks later for a special briefing by presidential aides, a private tour of the White House grounds and the reception hosted by Obama. “I was in Washington a year ago and had my picture taken outside the south gate of the White House,” said Hernandez. “But this time, I was inside the south gate and looking out on Washington. I couldn’t believe it.”

After she gets her bachelor’s degree from DePaul, she plans to enroll in a graduate school in or near the nation’s capital to purse a doctorate in public policy or education. In the meantime, she will continue to juggle her roles as a student, a suburban school board member and a  resident advisor on the fourth floor of DePaul’s Corcoran Residence Hall.

“One of my biggest challenges as an R.A.,” said Hernandez, “ is returning to the residence hall at 1 a.m. after a long school board meeting and helping to resolve a problem with one of the residents. You have to be available all the time, but it’s great to have a home at DePaul.”