Nathlayn

When Nathlayn first arrived at Olive-Harvey College, she was a quiet student finding her way through a new chapter. Over time, she stepped outside her comfort zone, built meaningful friendships, and embraced opportunities that helped her grow both personally and academically. While Nathlayn is hearing impaired, she never allowed that to define or limit her.

As a student-athlete on the Olive-Harvey College track team, she developed discipline, learned to trust her instincts, motivated herself through challenges, and maintained a positive outlook. She also gave back to the campus community by leading a college-wide American Sign Language (ASL) lesson over Zoom, helping others learn the basics of ASL and fostering greater awareness and inclusion.

Nathlayn graduated from Olive-Harvey in the spring of 2026 with her associate degree and plans to continue her education this fall at Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C. There, she plans to study deaf interpretation to help address the need for more interpreters who understand deaf culture.

Her story demonstrates how City Colleges of Chicago empowers students to achieve their goals and create meaningful change.