Category: Center of Excellence
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Dominika Panek
For recent Wright College graduate Dominika Panek, getting involved on campus was an essential part of her college journey. She was an editor for Wright’s Great Books Symposium Journal, a student-run literature publication, and she organized bone marrow drives on Wright’s campus for Be the Match, a national nonprofit organization. Throughout her time at Wright,…
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Melissa Romualdo
During her first year at Malcolm X College, nursing student and Little Village resident Melissa Romualdo received the news that she was eligible for free internet service through City Colleges’ Chicago Connected program. The timing could not have been more perfect. Melissa’s parents decided to cancel their internet service to save on expenses since they…
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Selvin Tobar
Selvin Tobar, Wright College’s 2023 valedictorian, grew up on the North Side of Chicago and attended Von Steuben High School, where he discovered an interest in chemistry and engineering. It was there he found out that he could attend his first two years of college for free at City Colleges of Chicago through the Star…
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Kelsey McHugh
Kelsey McHugh, Malcolm X College’s 2023 valedictorian, had already earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre from Central Washington University before starting her journey at Malcolm X. She was working as an actor and audiovisual technician when the COVID-19 pandemic hit and upended the industry in a moment’s notice. That’s when Kelsey decided to…
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Shana Ruman
Shana Ruman has always brought compassion to the workplace—it was a trait she used every day when she worked in a restaurant. But when the pandemic hit and Shana lost her job, she wanted to find a new avenue to take care of people. Shana used her downtime to create a game plan for her…
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Derek Davis
If you’ve ever had dreams of becoming an emergency medical technician (EMT), a paramedic, or a member of the Chicago Fire Department, Derek Davis recommends Malcolm X College. The Beverly resident is currently months away from completing the paramedic program at Malcolm X. Derek began attending the college’s EMT program during the pandemic and took…
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Adrian Pickett
Adrian Pickett has dreamed of being a part of the Chicago Fire Department since he was a child. Malcolm X College not only helped him achieve that dream, but it also ensured he was prepared for the job on day one. Adrian first enrolled in the emergency medical technician (EMT) program at Malcolm X in…
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Tyler Cannon
At the age of 26, Tyler Cannon is on his way to completing the Basic Nursing Assistant (BNA) program at Malcolm X College’s satellite location, the West Side Learning Center. Tyler, a resident of Chicago’s Auburn Gresham neighborhood, dreams of becoming a neonatal nurse practitioner, a goal that requires him to think big and push…
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Jeffery Haggins
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Jeffery Haggins was inspired to make a career change. “I witnessed compassion every day at the hospital where I work as a counselor,” said Jeffery, a student at Malcolm X College’s West Side Learning Center. His one requirement? Jeffery needed a career that would allow him to continue helping others. Today,…
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Jonathan Cifuentes Barrios
Since I was four years old, I knew I wanted to be an engineer. I would play with my toys for a couple of days before breaking them to see how they worked. I knew what I wanted to be, but I didn’t always have a clear path to get there. I’m so proud of…