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Tag: class of 2029

Meet Our Class of 2029 Scholar Ambassadors!

Written by Morgan Mercieca on . Posted in Main Blog, Scholar Blog.

Each year at Chicago Scholars, we bring on a group of Scholar Ambassadors to represent the best of our work, allowing newly accepted Scholars to develop their leadership skills and participate in recruiting the next class of Scholars over the course of a year.
This year, we’re excited for you to meet the Class of 2029 Scholar Ambassadors through a series of blog posts and content that we’ll bring you monthly, to share how the Ambassadors are navigating their first year as Scholars.
To kick things off, we had our Ambassadors tell us how the start of their experience in the program has been, why they decided to apply for the Ambassador program, and whether they feel that being an Ambassador will help prepare them for the upcoming Onsite College and Leadership Forum.

Devine Valdez, Chicago Scholars Class of 2029, Charles P. Steinmetz College Prep

“Hello! My name is Devine Valdez and I’m going to be a first Gen college student (Class of
2029)
The start of my Chicago Scholar Ambassadors journey has been absolutely unreal. Even
though the program itself just started, I feel like i’ve connected with both other members and
our facilitator. Our facilitator, Karla, will go out of her way to make sure we’re all mentally and
physically flourishing. I love that kind of support especially with On-Site coming up! Being in
the Ambassador program creates a safe space for everyone. It’s also fun! Even though my
Ambassador journey just started, I already see the ways its broaden my perspective on life. I
love being in this program and look forward to continuing my journey with everyone.
I decided to become an Ambassador because I wanted to bring opportunities like these back
to my community. I’m a huge believer in creating pathways for low opportunity communities
like mine. I believed in everything Chicago Scholars Ambassadors represents so advocating
for it was a must for me. I want to bring new resources that every student deserves to at least
have a chance to obtain. I absolutely believe being an Ambassador will help me prepare for
On-Site. They prepare us to take advantage of every opportunity they throw at us and trust
me when I say this, Its a lot. They also encourage us to be ourselves and to not be ashamed
of who we are and where we started. Self expression will help a ton during college interviews
so they can get to know us away from our classroom. Also just them telling us to speak loudly
and proudly to convey confidence is helpful as is. Being interviewed is nerve wrecking, self
presentation gives the first impression. Just fake it till you make it, and eventually you will feel
confident. Interviews are all about talking about yourself, don’t be shy! Be unapologetically
yourself!”

Nico Hussey-Gonzalez, Chicago Scholars Class of 2029, William Jones College Prep High School

When I applied to the Chicago Scholars Ambassador program, I was nervous of a
very competitive and rigorous experience. Although I was not wrong about the rigor, the
Ambassador program welcomed me with warm and open arms. The first meeting was
filled with friendly people, who further established connections by reaching out time
and time again. I came out of that meeting with a smile on my face, knowing not only
that I had an amazing support system, but that we were going to help a lot of people
through Chicago Scholars.

The Chicago Scholars program has already helped thousands with their
character, the college application process and building connections that will help them
succeed. However, this has only happened due to the stellar scholars and mentors that
have fostered these ideals within the entire Chicago Scholars community. Scholar
Ambassadors make sure that Scholars and Mentors not only help this program, but pass
on its message and its benefits into the program that has helped me and many others so
much. Though there has been only one meeting, I know the Ambassadors will help
secure this opportunity for many.

Another one of the Ambassador’s duties is to grow as a leader and as a speaker.
To be an ambassador is to communicate, to ensure the cohesive workings of a program
as large as Chicago Scholars. It is also to ensure that within a program, workplace or
even a school, each person feels connected within their community. The Ambassador
program grows leaders and speakers, fostering them not only for college but for their
lives beyond, so that Chicago Scholars and even Chicago itself can be better off for it. At
Onsite, for example, a place where Scholars are given access to exclusive interviews to
colleges they have applied to, the tools that are given and fostered in Ambassadors help
them flourish at Onsite. Interviews leave college admissions offers with stunning
impressions of communication skills, and colleges all around admire the leadership that
can be found in each and every one of the Scholar Ambassadors. Through the amazing
support system, tool for good and leadership building that can be found in the Scholar
Ambassador program, I am glad and proud to be an Ambassador myself.

 

See Chicago Scholars’ impact on college access and economic mobility in Chicago and beyond.

Class of 2029 Chicago Scholars show off their New Scholar Orientation projects

My NSO Experience: McKenzie Young, Class of 2029

Written by McKenzie Young on . Posted in Main Blog, Scholar Blog.

McKenzie Young is a Class of 2029 Chicago Scholar. 

On Friday, May 3rd at 4:12 p.m., I received an email that would change my life forever. I’d been waiting for this letter for six months and my dream finally came true – I had been  selected as a Chicago Scholar.

I felt overwhelmed with joy and a deep sense of accomplishment. I knew that this was going to be the start of something truly remarkable and I was determined to make the best of it. As a first-year Scholar, I was looking forward to meeting my cohort and mentors. Considering that a substantial number of people from my school were in the program, I knew that the New Scholar Orientation (NSO) was a space to branch out.

Learn more about the Chicago Scholars seven-year program model

The first day of NSO was an evening Zoom meeting. Frankly, I was surprised by the number of students on the call, but I was thrilled. The executive team behind the program kicked us off with the CEO sharing an inspirational message about the journey ahead with a slideshow presentation. An hour later, I was split into a breakout room with the rest of my cohort. We played icebreakers to get to know each other and talked about what activities we wanted to do throughout the year. Initially, I was worried about who would be placed in my cohort because I wasn’t sure if we would mesh well together. However, I was pleasantly surprised by the diverse range of people in my group. We all had different strengths and interests, which allowed us to learn from each other and grow together. As the meeting came to a close, I was able to connect with some of the Scholars and exchange contact information in the Zoom meeting group chat. I was looking forward to the next day so I could finally see everyone in person.

I woke up the next morning brimming with excitement. On the way to Roosevelt University, I wondered what the second day would bring. As soon as I got out of the car, the energy in the air was palpable. There was a line wrapped around the building! As I gathered for the day’s activities, I was eager to embark on this new chapter of my life. Walking into a lecture hall with people that I didn’t know was quite intimidating at first, but I quickly took a deep breath and stepped inside. I could feel the anticipation in the air as everyone filed in. I knew that I was surrounded by people who were just as eager to make the most out of their time in Chicago Scholars as I was. I met everyone in my cohort and we played more icebreakers. The real fun began when we started playing Jeopardy. To say that the competition was intense…is an understatement. It was a riot! People were shouting at each other, getting up out of their seats, etc. I’m just happy that my team won. Shortly after, all cohorts gathered in the gym for the final ceremony, where we did a group activity in which we got to be vulnerable by sharing our “superpowers” with each other. The activity allowed us to recognize our strengths and weaknesses, which gave us a better understanding of how to work together. We were all able to go home feeling inspired.

Even though the rest of the week was optional, I still wanted to seize the opportunity by going to the workshops at the CS headquarters. CS has one of the best office spaces that I’ve ever seen. To be brief, all the workshops I went to were phenomenal. I got to learn about leadership opportunities within Chicago Scholars that I definitely will be applying to. I met tons of people and the CS staff were incredibly friendly and welcoming. I left the workshops feeling confident that I could make a difference in the organization.

In essence, NSO was an amazing experience and a fun way to kick off the year. I feel so motivated about the college application process. I can’t wait for the next seven years of my life in the program and beyond!

See Chicago Scholars’ impact on college access and economic mobility in Chicago and beyond.