Category: Work-based Learning
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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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Nick O’Reilly
Three years ago, Nick O’Reilly’s life was so different. He had a bachelor’s degree in film production and graphic design from Loyola University and had been working in the restaurant industry for years. Then, when the pandemic hit, Nick lost his restaurant job and was forced to figure out what was next. One of Nick’s…
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Yessenia Nicacio-Rosales
Growing up, Wright College alumna Yessenia Nicacio-Rosales didn’t see as many women or as much Hispanic representation as she would have liked in engineering. She decided to change that. The South Sider has always liked computers and wanted to know how they worked, but she hadn’t considered turning her interest into a career until coming…
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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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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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Brenda Najjuma
“Ambitious” and “overachiever” are words that have been used to describe Brenda Najjuma. They’re also traits that have gotten her where she is today. Brenda is a computer science student at Wilbur Wright College and a summer intern at Fermilab. She’s been accepted into the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s Engineering Pathways Program for the fall…
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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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Jamurai Soldier
Olive-Harvey College student Jamurai Soldier is putting his classroom knowledge to work this summer as an operations intern for Carl Buddig Meat Company in Homewood, Illinois. In the role of junior analyst, Jamurai is earning $20 an hour as he spends his summer analyzing data, creating pivot tables and charts, and interviewing line supervisors, ultimately…
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Jaurique McClain
As Jaurique McClain was finishing up his final year at South Side Occupational Academy, he heard about the new After 22 pilot program that was launching at Daley College. The program connects adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities to career training, educational opportunities, and jobs. It was perfect timing. Jaurique, who was diagnosed with autism…
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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…