Ajanee Holmes

Surrounded by skyscrapers as she heads to class in the Loop, Harold Washington College student Ajanee Holmes is building her own career in architecture.

Ajanee’s journey to Harold Washington started the summer before her senior year at Lincoln Park High School. She had always been interested in architecture, having grown up watching shows like House Hunters and Property Brothers, and she came across an opportunity to participate in the Teen Fellows program, a partnership between the Chicago Architecture Center and Harold Washington College.

The three-semester program allows Chicago high schoolers to explore careers in architecture and design while they earn dual credits at Chicago Public Schools and City Colleges at no cost. Ajanee jumped at the opportunity.

“I wasn’t able to take architecture classes in high school, so I thought that participating in this program outside of school would be an amazing opportunity to broaden my future career path,” she said.

On Saturdays throughout the 15-month program, Ajanee and the other teen fellows met downtown to hone their skills in software, model-making, and sustainability, all while bringing their own designs to life by working on real-world projects. Ivan Tejeda, an architecture professor at Harold Washington, served as the instructor, guiding Ajanee and her peers as they drew up plans to transform empty lots into apartment complexes.

“Teen Fellows solidified my dreams of going into architecture. Learning so many hands-on skills made me determined to pursue this path,” Ajanee said. “The program also helped me become more social. I met other students from different neighborhoods and backgrounds who were all interested in exploring architecture.”

Ajanee’s journey at Harold Washington didn’t end with the Teen Fellows program. After graduating from high school with nine college credits under her belt, she enrolled at the college to further her education in architecture. Due to her good grades, she received the Star Scholarship, allowing her to pursue an associate degree at no cost.

“The Star Scholarship is a huge weight off of my shoulders,” she said. “I’m not stressing about when my next payment is due, which is a relief for both me and my parents.”

As she continues her studies, Ajanee is gaining work-based experience as an intern at Clune Construction, an opportunity she was connected with through the Teen Fellows program. She plans to continue her education and earn a bachelor’s degree in architecture after graduating from Harold Washington College next spring.

“Coming here has been really beneficial to me—there’s so many benefits I can take advantage of,” she said. “I’m really grateful the Teen Fellows program introduced me to Harold Washington and I chose to go here.”