first generation college student fgli transitions to college transferring colleges sophomore year transferring colleges advice college level transitions why college students drop out college success story is transferring college worth it

Student Stories

A collection of CPS students' reflections on their educational journeys, the supports that worked for them, and their hopes for the education system.

The data we report represent individual students, who every day face—and overcome—systemic barriers. The To&Through Project seeks to share Chicago Public Schools (CPS) students and graduates' stories to elevate them as experts of their own lived experiences. The qualitative data resource found below are intended to help user better understand the experiences of CPS students navigating our current educational system and to provide opportunities reflect on how their experiences can improve supports for future CPS students. 

Check out our facilitation and lesson plans you can use to share these stories with both students & practitioners!

Interested in learning more about the heart of Student Stories? Read our Theoretical Frame - Student Stories

picture of a cps alumni next to a green box with their name Alejandro on it

Alejandro

Alejandro is a Mexican-American student who grew up in West Lawn. He went to a neighborhood K-8th elementary school for his middle grade years. He is the first in his family to go to college. He is currently a sophomore studying advertising at a 4-year state university in Illinois. On campus you can find him sketching and designing footwear or at meetings for the American Advertising Federation club.

Read Alejandro’s Story
2023: Growing Pains & Gains Through Middle Grades
picture of cps graduate with their name on the right side

Allan

Allan is a Black first generation college student who grew up in Morgan Park. He graduated from CPS magnet high school in the Mount Greenwood neighborhood in 2015. He later attended a private bachelor-granting college in the south side of Chicago. He loves creating and spent a lot of his free time in undergrad in a studio. He majored in Critical Race and Ethnic studies (CRES) and Media Arts and Design. Allan graduated in 4 years thanks to getting financial aid for a summer quarter.

Read Allan's Story
2023: Class of ‘?’ Graduating in four (or more) years
picture of CPS alumni next to purple block with their name eric on it

Eric

Eric is a first-generation, Latinx college graduate who went to a neighborhood high school in the northside of Chicago. He entered the workforce after graduating from college, and currently serves as Transitional Youth Leader. Eric has been a TYL since February 2022, and has planned out how he hopes to engage students as a mentor.

Read Eric’s Story
2023: Connecting & Guiding Alumni towards Graduation
picture of cps graduate with their name on the right side

Ilyas

Ilyas is Ethiopian and grew up in Rogers Parks. He graduated from his neighborhood high school in 2018 and enrolled in an associate degree program at a private university. After receiving his Associate Degree, he is now enrolled at an Illinois public institution pursuing his Bachelor’s Degree. Ilyas is currently on a 6+ year academic track to a Bachelor’s Degree, and will graduate in winter of 2024 with a major in sports management.

Read Ilyas' story
2023: Class of ‘?’ Graduating in four (or more) years
picture of cps graduate with their name on the right side

Karla

Karla is a Honduran-American first-generation college student from Humboldt Park on the west side of Chicago. Her time in CPS was marked by a lot of change and transferring of schools. She faced the challenges of both the 2013 school closures and a difficult high school selection process. She attended a liberal arts college in rural Indiana through a cohort model scholarship program where she got her bachelor’s degree studying Sociology and Spanish with a minor in Latin and Caribbean. Karla felt heavily pressured and graduated in 4 years because of the strict full-tuition 4 year scholarship she received.

Read Karla's Story
2023: Class of ‘?’ Graduating in four (or more) years
picture of a cps alumni next to a green box with their name Kimaya on it

Kimaya

Kimaya is a Black college student who grew up in Woodlawn. She transferred to several elementary schools before starting 7th grade at a magnet school in the South Loop. She graduated from a selective enrollment high school. She is currently a Senior at a 4-year private university in Pennsylvania and is going to graduate with a degree in Psychology. You will most likely find her with her Ultimate Frisbee team around campus.

Read Kimaya’s Story
2023: Growing Pains & Gains Through Middle Grades
picture of cps graduate with their name on the right side

Marshai

Marshai is a Black first-generation college student and grew up on the west side of Chicago. She graduated from her neighborhood high school in Roseland in 2020 and now attends a historically Black college in Arkansas. She is currently pursuing her bachelor’s degree in industrial technology and is set to graduate on a 4.5 year track. Marshai hopes to one day build a football field for her high school. 

Read Marshai's Story
2023: Class of ‘?’ Graduating in four (or more) years
picture of a cps alumni next to a green box with their name Michelle on it

Michelle

Michelle is a Mexican-American and first-generation college student who grew up in Gage Park. She attended neighborhood schools from kindergarten to high school. For middle school, she went to a 6th-8th grade school. She is now a junior at a private liberal arts college in Wisconsin, majoring in Business Economics. On campus, you can find her playing lacrosse, planning the next Spanish club meeting, or supporting her student community as a Resident Assistant.

Read Michelle’s Story
2023: Growing Pains & Gains Through Middle Grades
picture of cps graduate with their name on the right side

Nicole

Nicole is a Mexican-American first-generation college graduate from the Back of the Yards neighborhood. Since she was little, her heart was set on entering the world of science and becoming a doctor. She attended a public bachelor’s degree granting institution in Chicago and graduated in six years in 2021. 

Read Nicole's Story
2023: Class of ‘?’ Graduating in four (or more) years
picture of cps graduate

Roxanne

Roxanne grew up on the southeast side of Chicago and proudly identifies as a Peruvian trans woman. She graduated from her neighborhood high school and was a part of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program. Roxanne is the first in her family to graduate high school and college. She took a 5 year track to graduate with her bachelors at Chicago public institution in 2022.

Read Roxanne's story
2023: Class of ‘?’ Graduating in four (or more) years
picture of CPS alumni next to purple block with their name stephania on it

Stephania

Stephania is a first-generation, Latinx college student who graduated from a neighborhood high school on the northside of Chicago. Immediately after graduating high school, Stephania enrolled in college where she studies Marketing and Psychology. She has been a Transitional Youth Leader (TYL) since May 2023 and is eager to continue her work as a peer mentor.

Read Stephania's Story
2023: Connecting & Guiding Alumni towards Graduation
picture of CPS alumni next to purple block with their name yvette on it

Yvette

Yvette is a first-generation, Latinx college graduate from the southwest side of Chicago. She graduated from her neighborhood high school with an International Baccalaureate Diploma. After graduating college, she worked in the education space for several years. Most recently, she serves as a Transitional Youth Leader.

Read Yvette’s Story
2023: Connecting & Guiding Alumni towards Graduation
picture of a cps alumni next to a green box with their name Zayquan on it

Zayquan

Zayquan is a Black college student who grew up in Lawndale. He went to K-8 neighborhood elementary school with a Magnet Cluster program in Lawndale. He defines his 7th and 8th grade years to be his middle grades experience. He is a sophomore studying business management at a private 4-year historically Black college in Tennessee. He plans to go to culinary school after graduation and open a restaurant. On campus, you can find him studying for one of his seven classes or planning a community event through his role at the campus student center. His motto on how he stays focused is “discipline, dedication, and drive.”

Read Zayquan’s Story
2023: Growing Pains & Gains Through Middle Grades
Cps graduate wearing glasses next to a beige background with her name Drea on it

Drea

Drea is a Black CPS graduate who is an active member of the workforce and who graduated from a CPS options school in the Pullman neighborhood on the South Side of Chicago. Proud of her accomplishments, she shares the reasons behind her positive high school experience and explains each factor of her decision-making process.

Read Drea's Story
2022: Exploring Life Beyond High School
CPS graduate wearing a polk a dot collar shirt next to a beige black with his name Elijah on it

Elijah

Elijah is a Black college student from the Far Southeast Side of Chicago. He took time off from college after graduating high school and then enrolled in a public university in Illinois. After completing several semesters, he again took time off from college before returning to the same university.

Read Elijah's Story
2022: Exploring Life Beyond High School
Cps graduate wearing a blue jean jacket with her name Jafaire on the right side

Jarfaire

Jarfaire is a Black CPS alumni who graduated from a CPS high school on the West Side of Chicago in 2017. After graduation, Jarfaire immediately joined the army. Although she is grateful for what she has learned from the experience, the idea of going back to school drew her back home.

Read Jarfaire's Story
2022: Exploring Life Beyond High School
Cps graduate wearing a flannel shirt next to a beige block with her name Kenia on it

Kenia

Kenia is a Mexican-American graduate who grew up in Gage park. Having found support in the YearUp community, Kenia has been able to both progress in the corporate world and spend quality time with her son, whom she had in her senior year of high school. Looking back on the four years before graduating in 2019, Kenia describes some of the support she wished she had.

Read Kenia's Story
2022: Exploring Life Beyond High School
CPS graduate next to a beige block with her name Kristian on it

Kristian

Kristian is a Black college student from Woodlawn who immediately enrolled in a private university in Ohio. She took a semester off and transferred to an HBCU in Washington D.C., before transferring to a private college in Washington.

Read Kristian's Story
2022: Exploring Life Beyond High School
cps graduate picture wearing a red headband with a blue background

Mitzi

Mitzi is a Mexican-American, first-generation college student who grew up in Gage Park. She immediately enrolled in a private university in Chicago, took time off, and transferred to a community college to complete an associate degree. Currently, she is seeking to transfer to a private college in Chicago.

Read Mitzi's Story
2022: Exploring Life Beyond High School
picture of student named sean with a title with his name on it

Sean

Sean is a Black college student who went to high school in Bronzeville. He immediately enrolled in a public university in Illinois and is now transferring to a community college in Chicago to develop his trade skills.

Read Sean's Story
2022: Exploring Life Beyond High School
Cps graduate wearing a grey jacket next to a beige background with their name Syed on it

Syed

After immigrating with his family from India, Syed settled in Rogers Park and graduated high school in 2020. Now a sophomore at a two-year college in Chicago, he reflects on his experience taking a gap year during the pandemic and thinks about his plans for the future.

Read Syed's Story
2022: Exploring Life Beyond High School
first generation college student college pathways transitions to college college level transitions high school to college transitions transferring colleges advice why college students drop out college success stories

Amayrani

Amayrani is a Latinx, first-generation college student who graduated from a selective enrollment public high school and immediately enrolled in a two-year college. She took two semesters off during the pandemic.

Read Amayrani's Story
2021: Navigating the Post-Secondary Maze
Arthurs story teaser - first generation college student college pathways transitions to college college level transitions high school to college transitions transferring colleges advice why college students drop out college success stories

Arthur

Arthur is a Black college student who attended a high school on the Southwest Side of Chicago. He immediately enrolled in a four-year college after high school graduation and has since transferred to two-year colleges as well as an online bachelor’s degree program.

Read Arthur's Story
2021: Navigating the Post-Secondary Maze
Kiara story teaser - first generation college student college pathways transitions to college college level transitions high school to college transitions transferring colleges advice why college students drop out college success stories

Kiara

Kiara is a Belizean American college student from South Shore. She immediately enrolled in an HBCU after high school graduation, transferred to a two-year college, and is currently enrolled in a nursing program at that college.

Read Kiara's Story
2021: Navigating the Post-Secondary Maze
first generation college student college pathways transitions to college college level transitions high school to college transitions transferring colleges advice why college students drop out college success stories

Moises

Moises is a Mexican American, first-generation college student from West Lawn. He immediately enrolled in a four-year college after high school graduation, transferred to a two-year college, and is currently enrolled in another four-year college.

Read Moises' Story
2021: Navigating the Post-Secondary Maze
first generation college student college pathways transitions to college college level transitions high school to college transitions transferring colleges advice why college students drop out college success stories

Nancy

Nancy is a Latinx, first-generation college student from Brighton Park. She immediately enrolled in a four-year college after high school graduation, transferred to a two-year college, and is currently enrolled in another four-year college.

Read Nancy's Story
2021: Navigating the Post-Secondary Maze
CPS graduate next to a beige block with his name Sergio on it

Sergio

Sergio is a Mexican, first-generation college student and DACA recipient from the West Lawn neighborhood. He immediately enrolled in a private university in Chicago, took time off from college, and then transferred to a public university in Chicago.

Read Sergio's Story
2021: Exploring Life Beyond High School

Looking for more? Read about the report that inspired our first student stories series, and see how its findings can help education practitioners understand what led Chicago Public Schools (CPS) graduates’ college enrollment rates to increase while college completion rates remained flat. Read more about what CPS students value in school and beyond from this article which shares what middle grades teachers were able to gather from their students’ post-pandemic schoolwork.