Hundreds honored at College of Lake County graduation

Faviola Ceja took a major step toward her career goal as a healthcare professional late last year. It was a significant accomplishment for a Waukegan woman who was never promoted from middle school to high school.

Now 35, Ceja is a single mother of four children aged 4 to 17. Lack of a high school diploma didn’t stop his employers at Walmart in Waukegan from recognizing his abilities. She was hired as a cashier and quickly became a supervisor.

A little over a year ago, Ceja decided she wanted her children to be more successful in life than she was, but she had to lead by example. She enrolled at the College of Lake County, aiming to earn a high school diploma and launch a professional career.

“I wanted to break the cycle,” said Ceja, the daughter of Mexican immigrants who can’t read or write very well. “I wanted to encourage my children to go to school and do what I wasn’t doing. I had to do it for myself and for them.”

Ceja was one of 350 College of Lake County students who earned a professional diploma or certificate Dec. 16 at the Grayslake campus, putting them on the path to careers or further education.

Although some CLC students arrive on campus straight from high school seeking a two-year associate’s degree before continuing at a four-year university to earn a bachelor’s degree, others seek professional skills to find meaningful, well-paying employment.

CTC President Lori Suddick said in an email Wednesday that one of the school’s goals is access for all those seeking a better life, because the college is an “engine of social and economic mobility.”

“CLC meets our students exactly where they are and takes them where they want to go by providing personalized support along the way,” Suddick said. “Access to high-quality education enables individuals to apply their talents in ways that transform their lives, their families’ opportunities, and strengthen communities. »

A high school diploma is not an entry requirement. Tasha Shell, dean of adult education and English as a second language at CLC, said people enroll in school to get their high school diploma. Some are one course, while others have a longer path.

“Many of our students are looking for a different job or a promotion in their current job,” Shell said. “They enroll in a certificate program, which we pay for.”

As Ceja walked across the stage in December, she received her certified nursing assistant certificate. She will soon finish high school and plans to become a nurse. Her journey to becoming a healthcare professional has had some twists and turns.

While she was in sixth grade at Robert Abbott Middle School in Waukegan, Ceja was in a car accident and missed three months of classes. She healed but was left with a scar. Classmates were not welcoming, she said.

“I was bullied, they called me ‘scarface,'” Ceja said.

Ceja took two years to finish sixth grade and another two years for seventh grade, said one of her teachers, who she called “amazing,” became interested and told her about Waukegan Community Unit School District 60’s optional alternative education center.

“What a difference it was,” Ceja said. “I felt more understood. I passed eighth and ninth grade. Then I got pregnant and started working.”

From time to time, Ceja would say she was thinking about finishing high school. She finally decided to enroll at CLC when she decided to set an example for her children. All four were with her at her graduation as she received her CNA certificate. The diploma is coming soon.

Jeet Saini, dean of biological and health sciences at CTC, said CNA is a first step for people who want to pursue a career in health care. Many jobs are found in long-term care facilities. There is also placement assistance.

Jeet said a two-year degree in nursing has various requirements, including a 2.0 grade point average on the CLC and a certain number of science courses. There is also a Physician Assistant, Surgical Technology, Medical Engineering, Phlebotomy, and Health Information Technology program.