Carolina Verdial
When Carolina Verdial first visited Wright College after moving to Chicago from the Honduras, she was looking for a college for her daughter. She didn’t know then that the trip would also turn into a career at the college.
Chef Gabriel Alvarez started his college journey at City Colleges of Chicago—something that helps him relate to his students at Kennedy-King College’s Washburne Culinary & Hospitality Institute.
“I get to welcome students in that I see a little of me in them,” he said.
Chef Alvarez didn’t know what he wanted to do when he was growing up, so he decided to follow his passion: food. He took classes at City Colleges to get his grades up and transferred to a culinary school, where he discovered a second love for teaching.
His desire to support students brought Chef Alvarez back to his alma mater as a chef instructor in the Culinary Arts program at Washburne. As he prepares future chefs for success, his relatability, kindness, and unwavering commitment have not gone unnoticed. Chef Alvarez was recently recognized as a City Colleges of Chicago Luminary Award recipient for his efforts to brighten his college community.
Supporting Student Success
Dr. Doris Espiritu
Dr. Doris Espiritu has been teaching and leading programs in chemistry, biophysics, engineering, and computer science at City Colleges of Chicago for fifteen years.
Dr. Cynthia Manns
Dr. Cynthia Manns is an Assistant Professor of Sociology at Olive-Harvey College and has been teaching at City Colleges of Chicago since 2010.