Share this
After one year in Olive-Harvey College’s Pathway to Policing: One Year and Out program, Rashaunda Cooper is on her way to becoming a police officer.
Learns about One Year and Out
Rashaunda sees a flyer while out shopping.
Becomes a security guard at OHC
She takes a job at OHC to better fit her class schedule.
Prepares to enter the police academy
Rashaunda graduates from the One Year and Out program and prepares for six months in the academy.
After one year in Olive-Harvey College’s Pathway to Policing: One Year and Out program, Rashaunda Cooper is on her way to becoming a police officer.
Becoming a police officer has been Rashaunda’s dream since she was a child. So, when she saw a flyer at Jewel Osco for an accelerated program at Olive-Harvey that would put her on a fast track to the police academy, she was immediately interested.
Rashaunda began classes in August 2022. She learned about laws, how to write reports, and what to expect on the street as a police officer from instructors who are already officers in the Chicago Police Department.
“They gave me insight,” Rashaunda said. “I was able to be around detectives, sergeants, and chiefs. They really tell you what to expect because they have so many years of experience on the force.”
Being back in school was an adjustment for Rashaunda. She graduated from high school in 2008 and spent some time in college briefly before Olive-Harvey, but school wasn’t her favorite place as a child and she hadn’t had a great college experience previously. Rashaunda was also working as a kitchen manager when she first started classes at Olive-Harvey, and her work and class schedules conflicted. However, she was able to secure a job at the college as a security guard and her director worked with her schedule so she could focus on her classes.
“This program made me buckle down,” she said. “The instructors were very helpful. If we had any questions or difficulties, we went to the tutoring lab, the instructors stayed late, and they answered the phone whenever we called.”
In August 2023, Rashaunda completed the Pathway to Policing: One Year and Out program. She expects to begin in the police academy in January. It will take six months for her to complete the academy. After graduating, she’ll be a probationary officer for six months on the streets of Chicago.
For now, Rashaunda’s just excited to achieve her childhood dream, but she’s not ruling out becoming a chief, superintendent, or commander one day.
"The sky’s the limit. Just don’t give up on your goals. Whatever you have set in your mind when you’re a kid, it’s never too late to do what you want to do."
Samantha Luce, the District Director of Violence Prevention and Response at City Colleges of Chicago, has dedicated the last three and a half years to helping students navigate challenging experiences while advancing her own education and career.
When Silvia Garcia arrived in Chicago from Mexico in 1998, she wanted to learn English. After receiving a flyer Daley College sent out, she decided Daley would be the place to learn a new language.
Mary Ann Kistler was at a crossroads. She had been working a job in insurance for years, but it wasn’t fulfilling anymore. She knew she wanted a career change, but wasn’t sure what that career would be.
Muhammad Elbadawi is building the life he previously dreamed about. He recently completed his Bachelor of Science in Business Management from Northeastern Illinois University (NEIU) and is planning to enter the workforce.
