Category: Student Life
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Martin Lozano
Martin Lozano loves to learn, build, and create things. That’s why, when the Whitney M. Young Magnet High School graduate was exploring his college options, Daley College—a school known for its advanced manufacturing and engineering offerings—made sense. Still, while the programs attracted Martin to Daley, he says it’s the people there that encouraged him to…
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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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Casey Tan
From a dream of dancing to a passion for engineering, Casey Tan’s journey is an inspiring one. Hailing from the Philippines, Casey and her family made a life-changing move to Chicago in 2011. Although she attended an arts high school where she focused on dance, Casey has always had an interest in STEM and knew…
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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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Antoinette Hicks
Antoinette Hicks had been out of the classroom for 30 years before deciding to reignite her educational journey at Olive-Harvey College. She had previously attended two years of college at DePaul University but put her studies on hold to start a family. Antoinette’s decision to enroll at Olive-Harvey was strategic—she wanted to find a caring,…
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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…
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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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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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Christina Bernabe
Christina Bernabe, Daley College’s 2023 valedictorian, grew up in Chicago’s Clearing neighborhood and came to Richard J. Daley College in August of 2020. She was a returning college student who had previously put her academic career at another community college on hold due to financial obstacles. Christina had always dreamed of becoming an entrepreneur who…
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Gabriela Leon
“Metas” is the Spanish word for “goals.” It is also the name of a program at Malcolm X that’s helping students like Gabriela Leon reach their highest potential. Gabriela began taking classes at Malcolm X College in the fall of 2021. For the University Village resident, the college was close to home, making it convenient…