Category: Harold Washington College
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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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Jessica Atieno-Walker
Although she speaks softly, Jessica Atieno-Walker exudes confidence when she discusses life’s possibilities. She earned her Associate in Arts in Business/Economics from Harold Washington College in May 2023 and hopes to one day work in the field of international business. Jessica immigrated to the United States from Mombasa, Kenya, at the age of 12, which…
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Jean Matthews
When Jean Matthews decided to finish her college journey at Harold Washington College, it had been more than 40 years since she’d been in the classroom. Still, she says her age hasn’t been a barrier to furthering her education. “Everybody that I’ve met is so kind to me,” she said, referring to the Harold Washington…
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Esmeralda Cirilo
Esmeralda Cirilo, Harold Washington College’s 2023 salutatorian, grew up in Chicago’s Little Village neighborhood and attended Community Links High School. As the daughter of two hardworking immigrants, she took their values of determination and resilience to heart and dedicated herself to excelling in school. She graduated in 2020 as her high school’s valedictorian. Esmeralda then…
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Angel Negron
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),…
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Giovanny Reyes
After moving to Chicago from California, Giovanny Reyes started at City Colleges of Chicago hoping to further his career. While studying marketing at Harold Washington College, he became aware of the digital divide that affects students. Lacking internet access at home himself, Giovanny spent ample amounts of time on the computers at the library. However,…
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Eivan Herrera-Valdez
My academic path has been unique, and I’m excited to see where it takes me next. In high school, I took a long bus ride from my Southeast Side neighborhood to Jones College Prep in the Loop each day. I tried my best to be involved in the Association of Latin American students and student…
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Zach H.
Growing up in the Chicago suburbs, I struggled academically. I barely graduated from high school because I didn’t see the end goal, and I wanted out. Sometimes I can’t believe where I am today when I consider how things have changed since then. I moved to Chicago at 19 years old and started working in…
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Ashley Moncrief
Mother. Business owner. First-generation college student. And now, PepsiCo Foundation S.M.I.L.E scholar. City Colleges of Chicago alumna Ashley Moncrief has persevered to get to where she is today, and she’s not done yet. Ashley first became a City Colleges student while she was still in high school. Through the Early College Dual Enrollment program, she…
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Nancy Barrera
Nancy Barrera grew up in Chicago on the far South Side and attended Gwendolyn Brooks College Preparatory Academy High School, where an Advanced Placement United States history class she took during her junior year sparked her interest in politics. So, when she enrolled at Harold Washington College in 2020, the decision to further that interest…