Angel Negron, a recent Harold Washington College graduate, is getting ready to transfer to Columbia College Chicago to pursue a bachelor’s degree in interior architecture. As he prepares for the transition, one thing he won’t have to prepare for is the financial burden of his education.
Angel was recently awarded Columbia’s Chicagoland Transfer Award (CTA), a scholarship for eligible community college students. He is one of only 10 students selected for the $15,000 transfer scholarship out of more than 100 applicants. Combined with his financial aid award, the CTA will help Angel earn his bachelor’s degree tuition-free.
According to Angel, the financial aspect of the award isn’t the only benefit. Receiving the scholarship was also a reminder that he made the right decision in furthering his education. Angel’s college journey started at the age of 33 when he decided to change careers and enrolled in classes at Harold Washington College. His first semester was spring 2021—right in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to the pandemic, Angel had been working in laundry at a local hospital for 13 years and taking care of his disabled mother.
Angel’s mom passed away when he was 27, and after that, he says it took him several years to transition from taking care of her to focusing on his own life. He’d always thought that he’d love to go to college but didn’t think he had the time. When many aspects of everyday life seemed to stop at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Angel realized it was time to start his journey.
“I was looking around at my life, and I knew I needed to make a change,” he said.
Angel had been told to follow his passions in order to find a meaningful career, and for him, that passion was theme park design. Harold Washington’s architecture program was the perfect fit.
During his time at the college, Angel found a community within Harold Washington’s Transfer Center and the TRiO program, which is funded by the U.S. Department of Education to help low-income, disabled, or first-generation college students achieve a college education. Angel, who is a first-generation college student, became a student leader in both organizations.
Meanwhile, his courses helped open his eyes to the other types of architecture and design options within the field. He looks forward to continuing to learn more about his career possibilities at Columbia this fall.