Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.
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Dayana Centeno
As far back as Dayana Centeno can remember, STEM was something she “loved to geek out on.” Through her classes at Harold Washington College and various work-based learning experiences, she’s had plenty of opportunities to do just that. Dayana grew up on the Southwest Side of Chicago and attended Thomas Kelly College Prep. She graduated…
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Nick O’Reilly
Three years ago, Nick O’Reilly’s life was so different. He had a bachelor’s degree in film production and graphic design from Loyola University and had been working in the restaurant industry for years. Then, when the pandemic hit, Nick lost his restaurant job and was forced to figure out what was next. One of Nick’s…
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Martin Lozano
Martin Lozano loves to learn, build, and create things. That’s why, when the Whitney M. Young Magnet High School graduate was exploring his college options, Daley College—a school known for its advanced manufacturing and engineering offerings—made sense. Still, while the programs attracted Martin to Daley, he says it’s the people there that encouraged him to…
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Favour Gbadamosi
After graduating from Hyde Park Academy, Favour Gbadamosi took advantage of the Star Scholarship to begin her college journey at Kennedy-King College tuition-free. “The word star is like, you’re a bright person, you’re shining…” Favour said. “For me to be a part of something like that is really amazing.” Favour got involved on campus right…
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Irene Aleman
Prior to becoming the Wellness Center coordinator at Truman College, Irene Aleman provided mental health case management for marginalized communities in Chicago. That work propelled her interest in her current role, as the Wellness Center provides free mental health services and support for other basic needs to Truman College students. Irene is often the first…
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Mechelle Rodriguez
Mechelle Rodriguez, administrative assistant to the dean of instruction at Wright College, is dedicated to making sure class schedules are organized and efficient semester after semester. Mechelle’s work, which she describes as both challenging and fun, not only supports her direct colleagues and office, but it sets both faculty and students up for a successful…
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Yessenia Nicacio-Rosales
Growing up, Wright College alumna Yessenia Nicacio-Rosales didn’t see as many women or as much Hispanic representation as she would have liked in engineering. She decided to change that. The South Sider has always liked computers and wanted to know how they worked, but she hadn’t considered turning her interest into a career until coming…
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Edgar Cruz
As Edgar Cruz interns with One Summer Chicago, an internship he found out about through City Colleges of Chicago— he ponders the last couple of years. It’s been a whirlwind for him. Originally from the Southwest Side of Chicago, he graduated from John Hancock High School in 2021 with an interest in engineering and STEM…
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Casey Tan
From a dream of dancing to a passion for engineering, Casey Tan’s journey is an inspiring one. Hailing from the Philippines, Casey and her family made a life-changing move to Chicago in 2011. Although she attended an arts high school where she focused on dance, Casey has always had an interest in STEM and knew…
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Vicenty Lucas Jackson
Vincenty Lucas Jackson is getting valuable experience for his future career before he even starts his first class at Truman College this fall. As a part of the STEAMbassadors program, the future early childhood education teacher spent the summer learning—and then teaching—digital animation. “For the first month of the summer, we were learning our materials,…
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