Category: Work-based Learning
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Cristian Olivares
Cristian Olivares, born on the south side of Chicago, is a young entrepreneur with a plan, but he never intended to go to college nor work with NASCAR. “My dad went to college and although he didn’t force me, my parents encouraged me heavily to obtain a higher education,” said Cristian. “At first I was…
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Adrian Pickett
Adrian Pickett has dreamed of being a part of the Chicago Fire Department since he was a child. Malcolm X College not only helped him achieve that dream, but it also ensured he was prepared for the job on day one. Adrian first enrolled in the emergency medical technician (EMT) program at Malcolm X in…
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Mayra Hurbieta
Mayra Hurbieta’s life now looks nothing like it did when she started as a student at Wright College in February 2019. “Three years ago, if you were to tell me I was here doing this, I’d say you’re lying,” she said. In 2019, the Belmont Cragin resident thought she wanted to be a teacher. By…
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Will Leary
Wright College Addictions Studies student Will Leary isn’t afraid to try new things. Chicago is his home, but he enjoys living in different places and taking in new experiences. Will graduated from college in 2008 with a bachelor’s degree in creative writing, but he’s also spent time working in other industries. Once the pandemic hit,…
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Mike Dougherty
When Mike Dougherty graduated from high school in 2021, he was ready to put school behind him and jump into the workforce. A chance email from his high school advisor about an IT apprenticeship program changed his mind. Today, he’s earning his associate degree at Wright College while gaining valuable work experience in the software…
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Maureen Burns
Sometimes it can take longer than we think to find an ideal career path, but we can end up in a great place. It took me a few extra stops on my career journey to figure out what I wanted to do, but I’m proud of where I am today and happy to be making…
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James Featherstone
From art to engineering, my pathway from high school to college wasn’t linear, but City Colleges of Chicago helped me find my next steps. I moved to Chicago from suburban Bartlett just after high school to pursue a degree in fine art. But things changed as time went on, and after a decade in the…
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Malcolm Ryce
Malcolm Ryce came to Olive-Harvey College after spending his freshman year of college at a state university that didn’t quite fit his interests. He then found himself working dead-end jobs until he felt the urge to demand more of himself and decided the first step was to enroll at City Colleges of Chicago. Initially, Malcolm…
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Charlotte Andry
Star Scholar Charlotte Andry started her college journey at Malcolm X College, eager to explore computer science. Taking advantage of resources like the Transfer Center early, she learned that many of the four-year universities she was interested in, like UIC, had a Guaranteed Admissions Program. With that knowledge, she applied to as many guaranteed admissions…
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Kashawna Brantley
Kashawna Brantley has always been interested in technology, but it wasn’t until after she earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology that she decided she wanted to pursue a career in the IT sector instead. “I just didn’t know where to start,” she said. After trying out a few jobs in education, the South Shore resident…