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Wilbur Wright College graduate Zaneta Marcinik arrived in the United States as a teenager with dreams of attending college and studying engineering.
Wilbur Wright College graduate Zaneta Marcinik arrived in the United States as a teenager with dreams of attending college and studying engineering. Unfortunately, she had no idea how to make that dream a reality.
As a first-generation student, she didn’t want to spend a lot of money and wanted to remain close to home. After learning she was eligible for the Star Scholarship at City Colleges due to her good grades in high school, Zaneta enrolled at Wright. The award would cover the costs of her books and tuition.
“My experience at Wright was great,” Zaneta shared. “I’m glad we had small classes because I had the experience to meet people from other countries. Everyone was really helpful. I’m glad I didn’t go anywhere else.”
Zaneta knew she wanted to study engineering because she was always fascinated by tall buildings and bridges, enjoyed physics and math, and wanted a hands-on career. Once Zaneta met Dean of the Center of Excellence for Engineering and Computer Science Dr. Doris Espiritu, she was confident she made the right choice.
“I appreciate the professors, Dr. Espiritu, and all the advisors,” she said. “They explained to me which classes would transfer over and what credits I needed. There’s a stigma going around that community college doesn’t prepare you to transfer to a four-year university, but that’s false.”
Zaneta says her time at Wright truly prepared her to transfer. She learned time management by balancing her school, home, work, and volunteering responsibilities. She also found support at the Career Center, which helped her perfect her resume and cover letter, and ultimately earn the CME Group Foundation Scholarship. The award provided her with $5,000 to transfer to UIC after graduating from Wright in 2018. She graduated from UIC in 2021 and immediately began working her dream career as a civil engineer. Still, Zaneta hasn’t forgotten the college that helped her build the life she has now.
“I’ve been back to Wright six times to speak with Dr. Espiritu’s students about lessons learned and my current career,” she shared. “I also speak about being a working mother and the importance of staying in your community and helping your community develop. That’s what’s really rewarding to me.”
Zaneta’s career as a civil engineer allows her to see how her work is benefiting Chicago residents. The most rewarding part of her career is showing her daughter the difference an education can make in their lives and their community.
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After my time in the military, I decided to enroll at Wilbur Wright College. I saw it as an opportunity for a fresh start. I was determined to take full advantage of every resource available to me. I learned how to study and take notes, I met with my advisors, I networked with my peers, and I was enjoying all my classes. One day, one of my professors took notice of my hard work and dedication and asked me a simple question that changed the entire trajectory of my life: “How are you paying for college?”
