Category: Adult Education
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Bernice Agu
When I passed the math section of the GED, I remember screaming so loud that I scared my husband. I was just so excited about the opportunity to advance my education—and so thankful for the support I received from my Olive-Harvey College instructors along the way. My journey to the GED started when I moved…
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Jose Cueva
Jose Cueva was born in Lima, Peru, as the fifth son of six siblings. Jose says his adolescence was educationally torn between the Catholic religion and militarism in schools. He graduated from high school in 1990 and received a scholarship to study art at the School of Fine Arts in Lima. However, the internal war…
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Alvaro Mendieta
Alvaro Mendieta arrived to the United States from Ecuador eight years ago with limited English skills and big dreams. With his cousin’s encouragement, he enrolled in English as a Second Language classes at Truman College. He advanced through his courses and his English skills improved. When he was ready, Alvaro enrolled in the Gateway Scholars…
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Kam Tim Kwan
Kam Tim Kwan moved to Chicago from Hong Kong three years ago. His native language is Cantonese, so, in order to improve his English, he attended ESL courses at Harold Washington College for two semesters. Kam Tim says that his ESL courses gave him the confidence and motivation he needed to continue his education and…
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Gloria Villanueva
When I signed up to earn my high school equivalency, I didn’t know what to expect. It had been years since I’d been in a classroom setting. I was raised in Chicago until kindergarten, when I went to live with my grandparents in Mexico. There, I continued my education all the way until college prep.…
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Luis Narváez
This story was originally published as a City Colleges news blog titled “Adult Learning Creates Access and Opportunity” on May 31, 2022. I was born and raised in Mexico City, Mexico, and I came to the United States at fifteen years old. My mother raised us on her own in Chicagoland, and I saw…
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Naomi Monroe
Growing up on the southwest side of Chicago, Naomi Monroe was always a strong student. In junior high, she moved from the LeClaire Courts neighborhood to Wentworth Gardens and was named valedictorian of her eighth grade class. She was honored to be the student speaker at her graduation ceremony. “I had a great start to…
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Valentina Atehortua
Two years ago, Valentina Atehortua moved thousands of miles away from her home in Colombia, arriving in Chicago just months before COVID-19 did. As she adjusted to the cultural differences of living in a new country during a stay-at-home order, she was able to build a community at Truman College. Read Valentina’s story in her…
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Sylwia Jarzabek
After coming to the United States from Poland, I wanted to help others. I was thinking about applying for the medical field or a law enforcement career. However, with no sense of career direction and limited English, I decided to apply for English as a Second Language at Truman College. My plan was to learn…
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Georgina Reyes
When Georgina Reyes immigrated to the U.S. from El Salvador in 2011 with her three children, her oldest son was eager to earn his GED. Georgina cheered him on with excitement, and, years later, decided she would follow his lead. Determined to prove that “education is for adults, too,” she enrolled in free GED prep…