Community colleges are a bridge for students still seeking a path
Before I could proudly say that I got a master's degree from Columbia College Chicago, or even my bachelor's from St. Xavier University, I was a student at Richard J. Daley College, working to obtain my associate's degree.
As a first-generation college graduate, getting my degrees posed financial challenges. I grew up in Roseland and West Pullman, and my family and I got by with what we had, which wasn't much.
It was rare to have money left over for things other than essential items like food and clothes.
There was no way for me to pay a hefty university tuition. So I didn't attend college directly after graduating from Percy L. Julian High School. I spent the fall semester of 2015 researching ways to pay for school.
I decided to attend community college after learning about the city's Star Scholarship, and it was one of the best decisions I've ever made.
According to City Colleges of Chicago, the graduation rate for Star Scholars is 49%, compared with the colleges' general graduation rate of 23.9%. Since 2015, the scholarship has helped CPS students earn associate's degrees at no cost and has helped them transfer to four-year institutions with additional scholarships.
I am one of the former Chicago Public Schools students who benefited from the scholarship.
To become a Star Scholar, I had to meet the requirements of at least a 3.0 grade-point average, be a recent Chicago Public Schools graduate and enroll in one of the city community colleges.
I enrolled in Daley's communication program to pursue a career in media after finding out about the industry as a student in Julian's TV Broadcasting program. My goal was to graduate and transfer in two years. I remained a full-time student and took summer classes to complete my associate's degree on time.
Star Scholarship funds gave me a sense of security.
They are available for up to three years, cover online classes in addition to in-person courses as well as books and can be combined with other scholarships to cover any remaining costs after all other grant and scholarship dollars are applied.
At community college, I was a work-study student in the Student Services Center, an opportunity given to me by the dean of student services, who was one of my professors. My job consisted of answering phones, creating appointments and checking other students in to meet with their advisers.
It was a minimum-wage job, but it was one of my first sources of income. The flexible hours fit my class schedule, so I didn't feel stressed.
In June 2017, I was awarded the Norman G. Swenson Scholarship after one of the advisers gave me a list of scholarships and resources and suggested that the scholarship would benefit me. A former professor gave me a letter of recommendation, and I submitted my application and was informed of my selection not too long after.
I received a plaque and a check, which I saved to cover expenses at St. Xavier.
When I transferred there, the Star scholarship transferred with me, and was applied toward my tuition.
City colleges are underrated resources that I'm grateful to have experienced. I highly recommend them to recent high school graduates searching for a place to start their journey toward a better life.