“Throughout the entire day, I was at Legal Assistance Foundation in the South Loop helping them with a Children Across Borders Event, in which lawyers, judges, social services providers, and attorney generals from around the world come to the United States under the Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program. Visitors from Brazil, Zimbabwe, Haiti, Uruguay, Netherlands, and Cambodia (to name only a few) were present to discuss issues regarding children, such as poverty, abduction, foster care, trafficking, and immigration. All of these individuals were coming together to provide more insight into these issues internationally and offer the United States a better understanding and perspective of these problems at large. This was probably one of the coolest and most interesting things that I have ever been a part of. It was very neat to see this unification of influential leaders from around the world come together to address and fight against these social injustices.

In the afternoon, I attended the meeting, interacted and talked with these leaders about social justice issues. I felt so fortunate being able to discuss issues that I have been researching, getting a better understanding of international efforts and cultural practices. I think it helped me become a lot more competent not only culturally but also academically. It definitely made me reflect on and critique the way our systems work in the United States. For example, in many of the countries being represented, they do not believe in nursing homes, viewing them as shameful and disrespectful to the elderly. In addition with all of this, we broke up into smaller groups to discuss specific topics, such as community engagement, trafficking, social work, and immigration issues. I had the honor of actually leading one of these discussions. I couldn’t believe that, as only an undergraduate student, I would get to lead a group of influential leaders from around the world on issues that I am passionate about. In this discussion, we talked about social work efforts, theories/models, challenges systemically and institutionally, and creative strategies. In this discussion, I learned a lot more about foster care efforts in other countries.

Finally, we ended the event by having a time for networking. I had been itching to talk with this man from Cambodia on the issue of sex trafficking, since that is a passion of mine and a field of practice for him, as I learned during introductions. Through this connection, I was able to see possible work in Cambodia some day for myself. This entire day just empowered me, giving me new energy to take on social justice issues around the world, teaming up with others to truly make a difference.”

The Urban Apprenticeship is an exciting opportunity we offer Chicago Center alumni that have just graduated college. More than a job it offers opportunities for learning and skill development in a supportive urban learning community.

The apprenticeship started in 1990 and grew out of the mutual interests of Chicago Center alums to prolong their contact with Chicago Center and the Center’s interest in strengthening its staff and program. It has exceeded expectations in both arenas and has become a great strength of Chicago Center. The Urban Apprentice usually spends one full year in residence at Chicago Center. This month Megan Crawford, LearnChicago! Coordinator talks about her experience with Chicago Center:

“I can’t believe it’s already my turn to write an Apprentice blog! That means our time as employees of Chicago Center is almost over. I have some amazing experiences as the LearnChicago! Program Coordinator. I have had a blast working with so many great colleges and diverse groups. I’ve loved participating in the programs and learning along with the students. I’ve been challenged and encouraged to take autonomy of my position, and my own abilities and career goals have, undoubtedly, been strengthened. Truthfully, I have loved every part of the past year and it still seems surreal that I get paid to work with such a fantastic group of individuals.

The Center is an amazing organization and, if anything, this year has showed me that it serves a different role for everyone. Each student finds something unique within its pedagogy. Some find answers to personal struggles within their class discussions; some find their vocation through internships; others arrive in the big city and find their future home. Regardless of the form it takes, each student who attends Chicago Center finds one thing: transformation.

Truthfully, I applied to the Apprenticeship program with very selfish reasons. I was at a point in my life where I needed change and I wanted to live in a city where I would be accepted. I wanted a job that would let me transform, both professionally and personally – and it has.

Chicago Center has become like family; it has given me the courage to start over, the confidence to live openly, and a supportive environment in which to question my beliefs. We are all different: not everyone on staff necessarily loves Barack Obama, holds the same religious beliefs, or even thinks the White Sox are God’s gift to baseball. But those differences [except maybe disliking the White Sox] are encouraged.

In my opinion, that’s the best part of Chicago Center and the highlight of my position as LearnChicago! Program Coordinator. I have been able to witness how the programs and activities I’ve planned have affected dozens of students. Whatever the class and wherever state they’re from, there’s always at least one student who voices how Chicago transforms him. I have seen so many students come to this city and find a community that meets their needs and interests and, for the first time, feel a certain acceptance. I’ve watched students face their fear of living, working, and navigating big cities and discover an independence they hadn’t thought possible. Some just leave with a more open mind and a better understanding of the world around them. I am so grateful to have been a part of it.

In one of his all-staff emails, Scott Chesebro, our venerated Executive Director, described a recent political change as “an affirmation of the value of inclusion in dialogue and of the recognition of the human experience of difference.” To me, this speaks to the heart of the Center. This program allows students to express and embrace the most important, and often vastly unique, parts of them. And, fortunately for me, it allows staff members to do the same.

So thanks, Chicago Center: hopefully the new Apprentices find their year on staff just as transformative as we did.”

We’d like to thank Megan for telling us about her experience and letting us share it with our potential students and alumni!

The Urban Apprenticeship is an exciting opportunity we offer Chicago Center alumni that have just graduated college. More than a job it offers opportunities for learning and skill development in a supportive urban learning community.

The apprenticeship started in 1990 and grew out of the mutual interests of Chicago Center alums to prolong their contact with Chicago Center and the Center’s interest in strengthening its staff and program. It has exceeded expectations in both arenas and has become a great strength of Chicago Center. The Urban Apprentice usually spends one full year in residence at Chicago Center. This month Okwara Uzoh, Marketing and Public Relations coordinator talks about his experience with Chicago Center:

“When I first came to the United States at the age of nine, I landed at O’Hare airport. The first American soil I touched was Chicago soil. My first passport came from Chicago. The second zoo I ever went to was in Chicago, and the first play I ever went to in a big city was at the Goodman Theatre when I was in 11th grade. Notice a trend here? So, although I lived only two hours away from Chicago in the little town of Berrien Springs for nine years out of my life, I had always wanted to experience the real Chicago. Yes, I had been downtown, been a tourist, saw the big city as an immigrant, and all that jazz, but I’d never gotten to explore the ‘real’ Chicago on my own.

The opportunity came when Emily Nelson and Tiffanie Beatty came to my Intermediate Acting class during my junior year of college. I was already looking for an internship to do following my junior of college and when I found out that Alma College had an off-campus Chicago program, I was hooked. Tiff and Emily caught me at the most opportune time; this was the moment I had been waiting for all my life – to actually live in Chicago and explore.

Being the college student I am, I rushed to get all my documents in the day before it was due. I did not want to miss this window. The year flew by quickly and summer 2008 rolled around. I was driving along with my friends Kristin and Beth in an SUV to experience something that I was not ready for. I can’t even begin to describe this feeling. I was nervous and excited at the same time. I finally arrived and ran into Scott, who directed me to the Drexel apartments. I got to my room, unpacked my belongings, breathed a sigh of relief and embraced that I was finally here. I was about to live in Chicago for the best two months of my life.

During my two months in Chicago, I had so many amazing experiences. I tried new foods and met different people — even some who had the same experiences I did as an immigrant. I attended multiple festivals and saw Snoop Dogg and 311 perform live. I went to my first baseball game, was exposed to tons of important issues others weren’t even aware of, and put myself out there to experience the real Chicago.

The Center challenged me on a lot of things, but there’s one that sticks out: my identity.

My identity. I always thought of myself as two things: Nigerian and black. Yes, I have black skin and I have all the attributes of being a black person in America, but I am a purebred Nigerian at heart. That is something I never took into consideration until I saw how segregated the city of Chicago is. It was staring me right in the face. I would be riding the bus on the south side with African Americans, but I never felt the part of being an African American. I speak, dress, and carry myself differently. I like rock music more than rap. I don’t fit all the stereotypes of your typical African American. I came to terms that I am a Nigerian. I am proud of my identity. The more I came to terms with it, the more I did research about my country and talked to my parents about the history of my country. I also went back home and made it my goal to learn how to speak my language, Igbo.

Thanks to all of the things I was exposed to, I was sad to leave this wonderful city. I had always wanted to live in a big city again after growing up in Lagos, Nigeria. Chicago felt like home. I didn’t know how I was going to end up here. As I was giving Scott a hug on wrap up, I stated, “I should be an apprentice.” He gave me the ‘Scott laugh’ (which all of you know) and said, “Apply and see what happens.” I nodded and said, “Yes.” Two years flew by and I applied for the apprenticeship program and got the job as the Marketing and P.R. Coordinator.

During my time as an apprentice, I have continued to add on from where I left off after my term as a student. I know the behind-the-scenes work of what went into my term as a summer student. It’s a lot of work. We have a small staff, but we get a lot of objectives accomplished. I have been able to use my computer knowledge in the office. I was able to help organize the 40th Anniversary, which turned out to be a great event. To see all the work that was put into a huge event and have such a great result was rewarding. I have also been able to meet resources that other classes participated in. The list goes on and on about the opportunities I have had as an apprentice. There’s still more to come with the amount of time I have left in my position.

I have been grateful for the chance to come back and be an apprentice and bring some of my ideas to the table as a Chicago Center staff member. I continue to explore this great city for what it has to offer. Some of it includes having Teyonda showing me the great deals on restaurants.com, Groupon and Poggled; I’ve experienced everything from baseball games and the Bears almost going to the Super Bowl to Rahm winning the mayoral election. There has been so much going on that I can’t even begin to express how grateful I am for being in the city at this time. I continue to grow as a person being in this position and continue to learn from all the people around me.”

We’d like to thank Okwara for telling us about his experience and letting us share it with our potential students and alumni!

This week, I discussed these issues with Lane Chesebro, admissions director at the Chicago Center for Urban Life and Culture. Chicago Center is a nonprofit organization that arranges internship experiences and student accommodations in Chicago’sHyde Park neighborhood, site of the University of Chicago and longtime home of President Barack Obama.”

Click here to continue reading.

The Urban Apprenticeship is an exciting opportunity we offer Chicago Center alumni that have just graduated college. More than a job it offers opportunities for learning and skill development in a supportive urban learning community.

The apprenticeship started in 1990 and grew out of the mutual interests of Chicago Center alums to prolong their contact with Chicago Center and the Center’s interest in strengthening its staff and program. It has exceeded expectations in both arenas and has become a great strength of Chicago Center. The Urban Apprentice usually spends one full year in residence at Chicago Center. This month Cameron Siefkes, Recruitment and Campus Relations Coordinator talks about her experience with Chicago Center:

“Rolling into the city with my mother and step-father in the front seat and all of my stuff piled up around me felt quite different the second time around. The sight of the skyline and thinking about my mommy leaving me all alone in this huge metropolis didn’t make me feel physically ill like when I was a student. Instead, it brought back the excitement, all of the fond memories I had from the two months I had spent in Chicago the year before, and reminded me of the change I had experienced within myself. I was back in the city I fell in love with and was ready to see the next way the Chicago Center would have an impact on my life.

It has been about eight months since that long drive from Kansas. Now I’m sitting next to my fearless leader – i.e. my supervisor – Mr. Lane Chesebro, in the Education Department at Coe College. We’re here recruiting the future students of Chicago Center. Being the Recruitment and Campus Relations Coordinator for the Center has not only brought me to this campus in Iowa, but also to places in Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, and of course, the great state of Kansas. I’ve also been fortunate to have a hand in all of the other recruitment trips we’ve sent staff members on and have become quite the negotiator on Priceline by bidding on hotel rooms like nobody’s business. I’ve been learning the ins and outs of what it takes to be successful in this aspect of our organization. It has been like getting a backstage look at one of my favorite shows in the theatre. You can’t have a show without all that goes on behind the scenes, and we certainly couldn’t have the Chicago Center without our students.

My professors from Southwestern College would be proud to see me utilizing the skills I learned from my communication courses. No matter how many times I got up in front of my peers, I would get nervous. Now, it feels like second nature to present to these students on each campus. Of course, there are always going to be the ones who roll their eyes at you when you begin to speak about coming to live, learn, and work in Chicago. For me, the rewarding part comes when you see that one student who gets a little sparkle in his/her eye when we explain the program. We can speak to hundreds of students on one campus, but the real excitement comes when we receive those one or two applications in the mail. It’s amazing to know that the words I spoke were possibly a small part of helping that student see that he or she belongs in our program.

Each presentation reminds me of my own experience as a student in the Summer of 2009. As with most students, the initial draw of the program for me was the internship. However, the seminar and being exposed to the faces, neighborhoods, and problems in Chicago were what really affected me the most. My naivety quickly reared its ugly head, and I realized that most of my understanding of the world had come from one perspective. In Chicago, I received the perspective of voices I had never heard or taken the time to listen to before. Exposure to people from all types of backgrounds helped changed the way I viewed the world and the perceptions I had of the people in it.

My time here as an apprentice has only been a continuation of that learning process and my growth as an individual. Every day when I go into work, I feel blessed to have been chosen to have this experience with the other four apprentices. These people have been a part of one of the most significant parts of my life and moving on will be difficult. I am thankful for the opportunity, for the new friends, and the further enrichment of my life. I feel more confident every day, more aware of what I am capable of, and more proud of who I am. I wouldn’t necessarily say that I am a different person after this experience. Instead, I say that Chicago and the Center have helped me become the person I was always supposed to be.”

We’d like to thank Cameron for telling us about her experience and letting us share it with our potential students and alumni!

Boulevard Ribbon Cutting Ceremony ( L to R: Founders - Don and Eunice Schatz, Executive Director - Scott Chesebro, and Board President - Bruce Texley)

Carnivale - Location of the 40th Anniversary

Dinner at Carnivale

Chicago Center Founders (Bottom Right: Don and Eunice Schatz) with Chicago Center alumni

“The Chicago Center for Urban Life Culture has been a great experience to me with the help from the fellow staff. Not only has it benefited my life, but also, it has impacted other lives as well. This was represented in its entirety during the luncheon and the 40th anniversary. The luncheon had a great turnout with the alumnus, founders, staff, and current students. I think it was a great way to bring all the people who had gone through the Chicago Center, past and present, to exchange stories of how they have changed following this experience. Also, it was great to be around during the ribbon cut as it represented the 40 years of success. The founders of the Chicago Center and the others that kept it going for 40 years deserved all the gratitude they received. I couldn’t imagine what they had gone through to make it to this point, but I’m thankful they made it, so I could get the opportunity to experience Chicago. It was great for me to meet some of the alumni, to see how their lives are going and any other things that came to mind. I will say the food helped top off the luncheon right.

Following the luncheon, I went to set-up for the Gala. Upon arrival, I couldn’t believe my eyes. The building exterior and interior were marvelous. They had a great mixture of colors and decorations to coincide with each other. When I walked in, I could sense it was going to be a wonderful night and indeed, it turned out that way. The Chicago Center had a lot of supporters, as represented at the Gala. There were 202 guests at a facility that had a capacity of 200. This just proves that the Chicago Center has changed so many lives over the years. 40 years is a long time, but through thick and thin, they stuck around to change lives time after time. As for me, I’m glad I made this decision because this experience as given me a new perspective on life. Coming from a place where different perspectives rarely differ, this experience really gave me a much in depth insight to life, and I plan on sharing that when I venture back home. Because of the Chicago Center, I have become a well-rounded individual in all aspects of life and upon my completion here, I plan on taking what I’ve learned here, back home and sharing it with others. 40 years and still going strong till this day. This is a such a great accomplishment for the Chicago Center. Because of my experience with the Chicago Center and the city of Chicago, if it all works out, I plan on returning to the City of Chicago to make a difference where it’s needed. I just want to thank you for this life changing experience. It’s well appreciated.”

~Austin George Smith, Bethel College,  Fall 2010 Urban Academic Practicum Student

Arvis Averette recieved a First Voice Lifetime Achievement Award for his unwavering commitment to teach and organize for racial and economic justice

Scott Chesebro was presented a suprise tribute video

Phyllis Cunningham recieved a First Voice Lifetime Achievement Award for her vision and action in breaking the mold of traditional education for non-traditional students

Chicago Center Alumni and Friends

First Voice Lifetime Achievement Award Recipients and Presenters

“Today was such a lovely day. I’m not going to recount the day for you because you were there and I have plenty of pictures to help me remember, but I will say one thing. I feel so blessed to be a part of such an incredible organization. I didn’t realize how many people you have touched or how far the Chicago Center’s reputation has reached. I have met some of the best people EVER here and I am dreading leaving. I have never been so close to a group of people and felt so at home. I really hope we are able to stay in touch, because these people are better friends than people I’ve known for years. If anyone was debating whether or not to come here I would tell them that this has been the most amazing semester of my schooling. This is not a just a program it’s like a home. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to be one of your kids for a semester!”

~Ryann Bird, Nebraska Wesleyan University, Fall 2010 Urban Academic Practicum Student

The Chesebros

Chicago Center Staff 2010-2011

40th Celebration

Dancing the night away

Jessica Junke, Academic Program Coordinator

The Urban Apprenticeship is an exciting opportunity we offer Chicago Center alumni that have just graduated college.  More than a job it offers opportunities for learning and skill development in a supportive urban learning community.

The apprenticeship started in 1990 and grew out of the mutual interests of Chicago Center alums to prolong their contact with Chicago Center and the Center’s interest in strengthening its staff and program.  It has exceeded expectations in both arenas and has become a great strength of Chicago Center. The Urban Apprentice usually spends one full year in residence at Chicago Center.  This month Jessica Junke, Academic Program Coordinator talks about her experience with Chicago Center:

“I received the email inviting me to apply for an apprentice position with the Chicago Center for Urban Life and Culture on Tuesday, February 23rd.  It was a typical Northwest rainy day, but it was a day of celebration for me.  I had just spent the past six months not only finishing my undergraduate degree, but also working 60 plus hours a week to pay for the many consequences that came from an incredibly irresponsible decision I had made the previous summer.  But, I was finally done.  That Tuesday, with the words of my peers and counselors still echoing in my ear from a different sort of graduation, I opened an email that ended up marking the beginning of a hopeful, new chapter in my life.

I knew immediately that I wanted to apply for an apprenticeship.  The last time I had been in Chicago I was a student with the Center and I had never quite gotten the city out of my head.  Leaving her was extremely hard.  She had taught me more about myself in those three short months than an entire lifetime had before and saying goodbye to Chicago was like being ripped away from someone you had only just realized you loved.  It seemed like I had just arrived to the windy city when my dear friend Emily, a student teacher while I was an academic student, drove me to the airport at the end of the semester to go home.  As I hugged her goodbye, I told her that I wasn’t ready to leave.

I recognize now that I wasn’t permanently saying goodbye to Chicago.  I was simply returning home to finish out that chapter of my life.  A chapter that was really important for me to experience fully and see through to the end.  The two years I spent back in the Northwest allowed me to return to Chicago willing to completely give myself back to the city that I had grown to love so much through the Center.

The most exciting aspect of our jobs as Chicago Center apprentices is that we get to re-live our own personal discoveries that we had as students through the current students’ experiences.  We’re all continually witnessing how the students are growing by not only learning copious amounts about the city itself, but perhaps more importantly, about themselves.  I am speaking to who they understand themselves to be in the world they live in.  I’m sure that students often end up leaving more confused about that understanding than when they come to us, but to me, that signals that we have done our jobs right.  I am still processing things I witnessed and conversations I had years after my time as a student had ended.  The Chicago Center made my world a lot more complicated than it was before, and that may be the biggest compliment that I can give to an educational institute.

The most important skill that I learned as a student was to listen.  The Center introduced me to voices in the city that I would have never otherwise had the opportunity to hear.  Without those narratives, I would have continued living my life only knowing my own version of the world.  With close to 3 million people living in Chicago, how can any one of us claim to know what is going on with the people we huddle up against at the bus stop if we never stop to actually listen to what they have to say?  Too often, we rely on the so-called experts to tell us how to think and feel about things like immigration, racism, and the LGBT community (to name only a few).  While reading those perspectives has an undeniably important place in education, I would argue it is as equally important to actually engage in a dialogue with those who are living through those issues first hand.  Utilizing first voice is simply an incredible tool that not enough people have the opportunity to learn from.

As the Long Program Coordinator, I am currently in the process of finishing up my first semester-long program.  During wrap-up this past Friday afternoon, I told all of the students how appreciative I was of them.  They did not realize coming in to this, but they were the first big lesson we all had as new apprentices.  We learned how to manage large groups of students in the city, improvise when adequate class planning did not suffice, parallel park a 15-passenger van, and we were constantly reminded why we fought to return to the Chicago Center.  That’s what being an apprentice has been for me, coming back to finish out my CCULC chapter.  A chapter that countless other people also hold dear to their hearts, as evidenced by our incredibly successful 40th anniversary celebration.

I can only hope that in another 8 months when I have to say goodbye to the Center for perhaps the final time, that I will be ready.  That is my goal.  I have a daunting amount of learning, living, and experiencing to do between now and then.  However, I am extremely fortunate, as I have one of the coolest jobs in the world to transition from my college self into adulthood.  I am the Long Program Coordinator for the Chicago Center for Urban Life and Culture.”

We’d like to thank Jessica for telling us about her experience and letting us share it with our potential students and alumni!