Courtney Washington

University of Illinois at Chicago

Courtney Washington, a third-year student at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), is a student leader dedicated to increasing access to high-quality educational opportunities for low-income and underrepresented minority students in Chicago Public Schools (CPS). Over the past three years, she has worked with CPS in various capacities to help expand opportunities for students in underserved schools. She was involved in the creation of the CPS Undocumented Champion Resource Guide, a guide distributed to counselors throughout the district and inspiration for a training dedicated to training staff to respond to the needs of their undocumented students. She has continued this work as a board member of the Chicago Law and Education Foundation, an organization that provides free legal services to Chicago’s underserved communities. On campus, Courtney serves as a member of the Leadership Council for Peer Health Exchange, a student organization that teaches skills-based health education to first-year CPS students. She is also the co-chapter head at UIC and National Education Policy Coordinator for the Roosevelt Network at UIC, where she trains and supports emerging policy leaders and advocates to develop their own student-led policy campaigns.

Michael Amiridis
Chancellor
University of Illinois at Chicago

Personal Statement

As an intern with the Office of School Counseling and Postsecondary Advising, I had the opportunity to work with some of Chicago Public Schools’ designated special populations, including Black and Latinx males and undocumented students. Because I am committed to creating opportunities for underserved students, and as an alumna of CPS, I saw my role as essential to building stronger pipelines that ensure CPS students’ postsecondary success. One of the most valuable experiences of my internship was our work with undocumented students, in particular, the creation of the CPS Undocumented Student Resource Guide. Through research, collaboration with local organizations, and the compiling of resources, I co-created a document for counselors throughout the district that helped respond to the gap of knowledge concerning immigrant and undocumented students. I was grateful for this experience because of my direct impact on enabling greater access and agency for the under-resourced population of undocumented students. Not only was I able to offer my knowledge and assistance to this living document, but also I increased my awareness of the needs of underserved students, which will fuel my goal to expand opportunities for minoritized students in urban areas.

Courtney Washington
Public Policy and Economics: Class of 22-May
written 2021

2021 Fellows Alphabetical by Institution

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Salma Yajaira Gómez Pineda, Universidad de Monterrey Daniel Khoshkepazi, University of Baltimore Mansi Seth, University of California Berkeley Emma Davis, University of Central Arkansas Victoria Orindas Corcino, University of Central Florida Sai Reddy, University of Cincinnati Areyana Janae-Andrea Proctor, University of Colorado Boulder Irene Soteriou, University of Connecticut Ryan Greensfelder, University of Dayton Nicole Kennedy, University of Delaware Jenny Truong, University of Denver Miguel Garcia, University of Houston-Downtown Courtney Washington, University of Illinois at Chicago Celena Zacchai, University of Maine at Augusta Brandon Reed, University Of Maine at Farmington Callie Jordan, University of Mary Washington Ayotomiwa Fashola, University of Maryland Eastern Shore Faith Davis, University of Maryland, Baltimore County Gifty Kessie, University of Massachusetts Lowell Ian Malesiewski, University of Miami Isabella DeArmitt, University of Missouri-St. Louis Mia McKinney, University of Montana Allison Hrovat, University of Mount Union Vanessa Chavez Jurado, University of Nebraska at Omaha Lauren Martin, University of North Carolina Charlotte Justin Bray, University of North Georgia Jerrell Bates, University of Northern Iowa Caitlyn Cano, University of Notre Dame Anjali Mishra, University of Oregon Alisa Ghura, University of Pennsylvania Brianna Silva, University of Richmond Kapri Tulang-De Silva, University of San Diego Jada Curry, University of San Francisco Daniela Isaza, University of South Carolina Upstate Sophia Faacks, University of St. Thomas Hannah Beauchamp-Pope, University of Wisconsin Green Bay Beth Allen, University of Wisconsin-Madison Alisson Anguiano Salas, University of Wisconsin-Parkside Jessica Smith, University of Wisconsin-Superior
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