City Colleges of Chicago

Category: Wright College

  • Ryan Caguia

    Ryan Caguia

    While I was growing up in the Philippines, my parents always emphasized the value of education. They taught me that education is something that nobody can take away from you. This is something that has remained with me up to this date. My brother, who is a physical therapist, influenced me to explore occupational therapy.…

  • Angelika Szymanowska

    Angelika Szymanowska

    Shortly after completing high school, Angelika Szymanowska moved from Poland to the Northeast side of Chicago and began her journey at Wright College. Angelika first enrolled in English as a Second Language (ESL) courses to improve her English skills and eventually transitioned into college credit classes to continue her education in cybersecurity. In addition to…

  • Jonathan Cifuentes Barrios

    Jonathan Cifuentes Barrios

    Since I was four years old, I knew I wanted to be an engineer. I would play with my toys for a couple of days before breaking them to see how they worked. I knew what I wanted to be, but I didn’t always have a clear path to get there. I’m so proud of…

  • Cesilia Aguilar

    Cesilia Aguilar

    Twenty-year-old Cesilia Aguilar’s path to Wilbur Wright College and her future career wasn’t always so certain. But becoming a student at Wright has helped her decide on a future she thinks will be fulfilling, will inspire her siblings, and will support her entire family. Cesilia began college at a four-year university in Illinois, but she…

  • Mayra Hurbieta

    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…

  • Nina Florez

    Nina Florez

    Nina Florez is an Emmy Award-winning journalist who is currently working as a field producer for NBC Chicago. Her job revolves around telling unique and impactful stories about other people—but her own story fits that description, too. Nina, who was born in Bogotá, Colombia, and moved to the U.S. when she was 8 years old,…

  • Will Leary

    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,…

  • Mike Dougherty

    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…

  • William Ma

    William Ma

    William Ma was the first student to be accepted to Wright College’s Engineering Pathway.  He earned his A.E.S from Wilbur Wright College in 2017, and his B.S from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in 2019. William now works as a product engineer for the architectural division at Masonite International Corporation. Coming from Lane Tech College…

  • Hamza Gayurzoda

    Hamza Gayurzoda

    “The students I met at Wright College were on par with the students I’ve met at Columbia, and the classes I took – especially the math – were tough. Those classes prepared me to be successful when I transferred.” When Hamza Gayurzoda came to the U.S. from Tajikistan in 2013 after he graduated high school…