Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.
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Kelsey McHugh
Kelsey McHugh, Malcolm X College’s 2023 valedictorian, had already earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre from Central Washington University before starting her journey at Malcolm X. She was working as an actor and audiovisual technician when the COVID-19 pandemic hit and upended the industry in a moment’s notice. That’s when Kelsey decided to…
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Jelena Trkuljic
Jelena Trkuljic, Truman College’s 2023 valedictorian, moved from Serbia to Chicago when she was 19 years old, right after finishing high school in her home town of Aranđelovac. Knowing she wanted to continue her education, Jelena enrolled in free Adult Education courses at Truman College to prepare to earn her Illinois High School Diploma. From…
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Vincent Smith
Vincent Smith is celebrating two big life moments this summer: receiving his high school diploma and earning his first college degree. The senior at Corliss STEM High School is the first student from his school to earn an associate degree from City Colleges of Chicago prior to high school graduation. Conveniently, Olive-Harvey College is only…
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Claretha Morrell
Claretha Morrell is an Olive-Harvey College alumna and a lifelong learner. At age 62, her desire to work in the fast-growing cannabis industry brought her back into the classroom. She’s now completing the Cannabis Dispensary Operations certificate program at her alma mater, Olive-Harvey, with the goal of working in or owning a medical cannabis dispensary…
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Tina Castillo
South Sider Tina Castillo is a second-year student at Kennedy-King College who is working towards a degree in clinical psychology. As she looks forward to a career helping others, Tina admits that her own journey has had its share of challenges, too, including the stress of dealing with various financial burdens. “My mental health was…
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Shana Ruman
Shana Ruman has always brought compassion to the workplace—it was a trait she used every day when she worked in a restaurant. But when the pandemic hit and Shana lost her job, she wanted to find a new avenue to take care of people. Shana used her downtime to create a game plan for her…
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Derek Davis
If you’ve ever had dreams of becoming an emergency medical technician (EMT), a paramedic, or a member of the Chicago Fire Department, Derek Davis recommends Malcolm X College. The Beverly resident is currently months away from completing the paramedic program at Malcolm X. Derek began attending the college’s EMT program during the pandemic and took…
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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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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.…
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Leslie Guzman
I was born in Mexico, and my mom crossed the border with us when I was just two years old to give us a better life. I often say that I’m who I am today because I grew up poor and humble. My life hasn’t been without challenges, but I have had opportunities and made…
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