Photo descriptions: 1) Graduates with their families; 2) Left to right: Gillian Knight (HCF), Maria Pesqueira (HCF), David Pesqueira (McCormick Foundation), Dr. Yvonne Lau (IDPL); Karina Ayala-Bermejo (IDPL); 3) Graduates with David and Maria Pesqueira
Instituto College Celebrates Spring Class of 2022
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Healthy Communities Foundation joined Instituto del Progreso Latino’s Instituto College on March 4, 2022 as they celebrated their Spring 2022 graduating class. Graduates in this cohort began their Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) program in January 2020 and succeeded despite the major added challenges brought on by the COVID pandemic.
ABOUT THE GRADUATES
The Spring 2022 graduating class was comprised of Ivy Salazar, Esther Canola, Xilyna Vasquez, Venesia Romero, Ascención Jimenez, and Carolina Martinez. The class represents the second Instituto College cohort to date, graduating with an estimated 97% probability of passing the NCLEX (The National Council Licensure Examination)—the highest in the Chicago and Cook County region. Dr. Yvonne Lau, Instituto del Progreso Latino’s Dean of Students, called the group the “grittiest graduates ever.”
“What these women were able to accomplish during a pandemic is no small feat,” said Gillian Knight, Program Manager of Learning and Evaluation. “They really are the best of our region.”
“All of the graduates were, and continue to be, front line workers during the pandemic working as LPNs [licensed practical nurses] and/or CNAs [certified nursing assistants] while juggling nursing school. While these women are not pursuing the same specialty they are all connected by a special sisterhood formed in Instituto del Progreso Latino’s halls.”
The graduating students represent parents, grandparents, DACA students, immigrants, and most importantly, guerreras (warriors).
Congratulations to the Instituto College Spring Class of 2022!
Photo Credits: HCF, Dr. Yvonne Lau (IDPL)
OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH INSTITUTO DEL PROGRESO LATINO
We are proud to have Instituto del Progreso Latino as a multi-year partner. With unrestricted funding, Instituto College was able to pivot to a fully remote nursing program in the midst of the COVID pandemic. Guided by the organization’s mission to provide educational opportunities and enriched learning environments in concert with students’ needs and goals, Instituto College prepares individuals for the role of Registered Nurse and provides pathways for upward career mobility.
The College has long recognized the integral connection between strong communities, economic stability, and healthy lives. It makes access to the healthcare workforce a core element of its strategy for equity and advancement of the predominantly Latinx, immigrant, low-income people of color it serves.
