Category: Scholarships
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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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Favour Gbadamosi
After graduating from Hyde Park Academy, Favour Gbadamosi took advantage of the Star Scholarship to begin her college journey at Kennedy-King College tuition-free. “The word star is like, you’re a bright person, you’re shining…” Favour said. “For me to be a part of something like that is really amazing.” Favour got involved on campus right…
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Edgar Cruz
As Edgar Cruz interns with One Summer Chicago, an internship he found out about through City Colleges of Chicago— he ponders the last couple of years. It’s been a whirlwind for him. Originally from the Southwest Side of Chicago, he graduated from John Hancock High School in 2021 with an interest in engineering and STEM…
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Vicenty Lucas Jackson
Vincenty Lucas Jackson is getting valuable experience for his future career before he even starts his first class at Truman College this fall. As a part of the STEAMbassadors program, the future early childhood education teacher spent the summer learning—and then teaching—digital animation. “For the first month of the summer, we were learning our materials,…
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Kaliyah Chestang
Kaliyah Chestang is learning first-hand about being a woman in tech in her One Summer Chicago internship at the Kennedy-King College Tech Launchpad. A Kennedy-King College student working toward her Associate in Arts with a focus on psychology, Kaliyah now has a new shorter-term career goal in cybersecurity as she earns a bachelor’s degree and…
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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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Shlesha Patel
Wright College alumna Shlesha Patel has her sights set on a four-year degree in mechanical engineering. Thanks to a scholarship, fellowship, and more, she’s getting closer and closer to achieving that goal. Shlesha was selected from a robust group of applicants as the Fall 2022 TCP-CTA Transfer Scholarship winner, which is administered by the City…
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Olga Sanchez
Olga Sanchez, Daley College’s 2023 salutatorian, grew up in a bilingual household, where Spanish was her first language. Because she moved to the U.S. from Mexico at six months old, Olga wasn’t sure how she would pay for college as an undocumented student. Her teachers at Curie Metro High School told her about the Star…
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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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Liam Smith
Liam John Smith, Wright College’s 2023 salutatorian, was born in Ukraine and joined his parents in Chicago about 10 years ago. He became a Chicago Public Schools student and attended Taft High School, where he learned about the Star Scholarship. Liam decided to take advantage of the scholarship, and he started his college journey at…