Category: Resilience
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La’Quahn Washington
When the COVID-19 pandemic began, La’Quahn Washington saw it as a sign from the universe that it was time to change careers. She’d always been drawn to helping others, and La’Quahn began her career of service in the mental health field. She realized she could pursue her passion and help children at the same time…
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Flor Roman
Flor Roman always had an interest in child development. After running her own childcare business for many years, Flor decided to go back to school. When she couldn’t access financial aid, Flor didn’t give up on her dream of pursuing an education in early learning. Studying alongside the larger early childhood community was so important…
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Juan Madrigal
My academic journey began when I was 19 years old. Upon graduating from high school, I was conflicted between attending college or entering the workforce, so I asked my parents for guidance. My parents migrated from Mexico and only had an elementary school education. They told me that high school was the best they could…
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Tomika Bernstein and James Robinson
Tomika Bernstein and James Robinson are starting new careers in the transportation, logistics, and distribution field thanks, in large part, to the Project Evolve scholarship program exclusive to Olive-Harvey College students. Tomika is benefiting from the knowledge and skills she is learning in supply chain and logistics management; she credits the welcoming staff at Olive-Harvey for…
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Deynna Rey
Since Deynna Rey was a child growing up in Venezuela, she dreamed of going to college, but the expense made it feel out of reach. Through a combination of her own hard work and the encouragement she received from faculty and staff at City Colleges of Chicago, Deynna is on her way to a bachelor’s…
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Dr. Joyce Jones
As an educator and biologist, Daley College adjunct biology professor Dr. Joyce Jones has always understood that there is strength in diversity. “Just as each part of an organism does its part to help each living thing thrive, a community is many members of one body, and we are all here to make a difference,”…
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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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Nathan Vogler
Nathan Vogler returned to school at Harold Washington College after over 10 years since his last formal education experience. Nathan showed his determination through hard work and was the recipient of the Presidential Scholar honor for five consecutive semesters. He also joined the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society and was awarded a scholarship through the…
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Chakyra Space
Chakyra Space was born and raised in Chicago and attended Curie Metropolitan High School. Due to her strong grades, she was able to earn the Star Scholarship, and she enrolled at Daley College in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Growing up, Chakyra discovered her interest in numbers and realized she wanted to work in…
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Kristen Medrano
Kristen Medrano came to Olive-Harvey College in August 2020 after the COVID-19 pandemic had started. She was a stay-at-home mom with five children at the time and a prior general manager in the restaurant business. Kristen was looking for a career change that was more conducive to juggling her personal life, children, and career, so…