After graduating from high school, most students wish to move away for college and become independent, and that is exactly what Jasmine Salgado did; she moved to Iowa in order to attend a small Liberal Arts university. However, after a year, she realized that the place was not what she was looking for. \u201cThe town was small and the lack of diversity at the university was noticeable; there was simply no connection with the faculty or with the student body,\u201d she explains.<\/p>\n
Eventually, Jasmine decided to return to the Pilsen neighborhood in Chicago, and attend the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) where she is currently pursuing a Bachelor\u2019s Degree of Science in Marketing from the College of Business.<\/p>\n
Excited to be back in Pilsen and start a new chapter in her life, Jasmine has learned to value and appreciate the neighborhood and UIC\u2019s culture a lot more after being away for a year. \u201cI am happy to attend a school that is academically challenging and where diversity is a priority,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n
In addition to a positive college experience, Jasmine is also appreciative of the new career opportunities that she\u2019s been able to find in Chicago. Through a friend, Jasmine was excited to learn about TRP\u2019s La Casa Career Internship Program (CIP) so she decided to apply for an intern position at the organization\u2019s Marketing and Communications department where she currently works.<\/p>\n
TRP\u2019s internship is a stepping stone in her career. \u201cI have an edge that other students don\u2019t have, as a sophomore I am already doing work that I would otherwise not be exposed to until my senior semester or until after I graduate and that\u2019s a great advantage and a blessing,\u201d says Jasmine.<\/p>\n
According to Claudia Calderon, Director of the Career Internship Program at TRP, it all started as a pilot program three years ago and it has been growing and improving ever since. Currently, the program has 17 CIP students living at La Casa and having hands-on work experience within The Resurrection Project or an external partner organization.<\/p>\n
La Casa Student Housing provided a space for the independence that Jasmine was looking for, while allowing her to remain close to family and friends. \u201cI can be away from home to do my homework and study with my roommates, but I can also walk to my house, spend time with my family and eat my mom\u2019s homemade food. It\u2019s the best of both worlds,\u201d explains Jasmine.<\/p>\n
La Casa Student Housing has helped Jasmine develop herself on a personal and professional level, but her family has also played an essential role. According to Jasmine, her achievements are the result of the guidance she has received from her family. \u201cMy dad has always told me that nothing is easy, but nothing is impossible,\u201d she says. Her father\u2019s words have helped her with her journey back to Pilsen and have prepared her for a successful college experience at UIC.<\/p>\n
This transformative experience for students could not be possible without the generous support of The John Buck Company Foundation, Chicago Tribune Charities \u2013 Holiday Campaign, a McCormick Foundation fund, the A. Montgomery Ward Foundation, and two anonymous donors.<\/p>\n