Tashawnna’s Student Story

The To&Through Project
7 min readOct 11, 2024

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Meet Tashawnna

Tashawnna, a Black first-generation college graduate, was born and raised on the west side of Chicago. She graduated from a college prep charter high school and attended a public research university in Illinois from 2016 to 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice science. Currently, she serves as the alumni counselor at her alma mater, where she guides and supports students in their educational pursuits.

Navigating High School

Tashawnna reflects positively on her high school experience, crediting her supportive teachers for their crucial role in her journey. “They wanted more for me at that time than I wanted for myself,” she recalls. These educators consistently informed her of upcoming opportunities, such as college visits and summer programs, to help her discover her passions. She remembers, “After I graduated from my charter school, they supported me by making sure I could get there.”

One pivotal figure in Tashawnna’s high school journey was her counselor, who guided her from sophomore to senior year through particularly challenging times. During a difficult period when she lost her sister, her counselor provided crucial emotional support. “She started a grieving program just for me and connected me with outside organizations to help me talk through my situation.” This support was vital in helping her regain her motivation and stay on track. “Her just pushing me, just letting me know everything is going to be okay, everything is going to work out in my favor and to just keep making my sister proud through education. That was a big thing for me,” she adds.

“Her just pushing me, just letting me know everything is going to be okay, everything is going to work out in my favor and to just keep making my sister proud through education. That was a big thing for me.”

Initially, college was not a primary consideration for Tashawnna. However, her perspective began to shift when she started high school, which had a strong focus on college preparation. On her first day of freshman orientation, she visited a private bachelor granting university in Chicago and had the opportunity to talk to staff and students about their educational journeys. This experience sparked her interest in college. “I’m first gen, so these conversations weren’t happening in my household. It was just like us pretty much figuring it out,” she explains. The college-going culture at her high school convinced her to give higher education a try.

“I’m first gen, so these conversations weren’t happening in my household. It was just like us pretty much figuring it out.”

When it came to selecting a college, Tashawnna considered multiple factors, including finances, distance, and the culture of the campus. Her biggest priority was to find a financially reasonable option for her family. Fortunately, her high school had a scholarship program that covered out-of-pocket costs for selected partner schools. “We had about 30 or 40 partner schools at the time, and I knew my choice had to be between one of them,” she explains. After visiting several campuses, she chose to enroll at an in-state public university. “The finances worked, the distance worked, the culture of the campus worked for me,” she recalls. “When I visited the campus, I loved it.”

Tashawnna’s College Journey

Tashawnna recalls being nervous when first entering college. She participated in orientation week and initially stuck close to seven of her high school friends, feeling reserved and hesitant to branch out. However, after the first few weeks, she began to open up and engage with her classmates. “It was a shock, and I felt out of place at first. But after a few weeks, I started forming study groups and talking to my classmates,” she recalls.

“It was a shock, and I felt out of place at first. But after a few weeks, I started forming study groups and talking to my classmates.”

One of her biggest challenges during her college years was dealing with a difficult roommate situation. She regretted not taking her high school counselor’s advice about not rooming with someone she knew. “That was a bad experience because we knew each other beforehand,” she admits. Fortunately, Tashawnna found support through a mentor she met during her freshman year, who was a junior at the time.

Living with three random roommates during her sophomore and junior years was another hassle. She often wished she had chosen a single dorm room. Despite these challenges, she always managed to find solutions to keep herself focused on her goal of obtaining a degree. “Each time I faced a barrier, I figured out how to get myself out of that situation,” she explains.

“Each time I faced a barrier, I figured out how to get myself out of that situation.”

Sophomore year was particularly daunting for Tashawnna, as she feared she might not be able to earn her degree. However, once she settled into the groove of her classes and realized the seriousness of her pursuit, she found her stride. “Once I got the groove of the classes and realized that, okay, I’m not just here for experience anymore, I’m here to get my degree…it became like a walk in the park,” she reflects. Although Tashawnna initially worried she would not be ready for college, she believes her high school prepared her well. “We had writing assignments every year to help me get better at writing college-level papers. We also had a scholarship program that took away my financial worries,” she says.

Tashawnna’s involvement in a young woman centered programming group, which she connected with through her college mentor, became a significant part of her college life. She served as the secretary, chair, and eventually president of the organization. This role provided her with a sense of purpose and a support system outside of academics. “This organization gave me something to look forward to outside of grades,” she shares. It kept her motivated even when personal issues at home tried to pull her away. “It let me keep pushing, let me keep fighting through it.”

“This organization gave me something to look forward to outside of grades.”

After graduating with a degree in criminal justice science, Tashawnna aimed to become a juvenile probation officer. As she began exploring job options and considering whether to stay in-state or move out-of-state, the pandemic struck, providing her with more time to contemplate her next steps. During this period, Tashawnna returned to her high school, and she was offered an internship, which led to a full-time paraprofessional position and eventually the role of alumni counselor. “I love my job now, and I don’t just want to leave the connection, the kids, the impact I’m making.”

“I love my job now, and I don’t just want to leave the connection, the kids, the impact I’m making.”

What worked for Tashawnna

  • Exploring different programs: Tashawnna wishes she had been more open to exploring different programs and meeting new people in college. “I think I would’ve told myself to explore more,” she says. Initially hesitant to engage in campus activities, she eventually connected with a mentor through a college program. “Your network is your everything,” she emphasizes. “If you build a great network while you’re in school, pretty much whatever your degree is in, you can find a great job as long as your network is there.”
  • Having a supportive and caring mentor: Tashawnna’s high school counselor provided immense emotional support while she was grieving the loss of her sister. Her counselor’s connected Tashawnna with additional emotional support she needed to help her heal. “She started a grieving program just for me and connected me with outside organizations to help me talk through my situation…Her just pushing me, just letting me know everything is going to be okay, everything is going to work out in my favor and to just keep making my sister proud through education. That was a big thing for me.”

Tashawnna’s Aspirations for the field: For High Schools and Higher Education Institutions

  1. Tashawnna highlights the importance of educators and advisors taking the time to understand their students’ individual needs. “Of course, it can’t happen, especially in those big lecture classes, but take your time to try to get to know as many students as possible and see what their needs are to be successful,” she suggests. This approach is particularly crucial for first-generation students who often navigate the complexities of higher education on their own. She advocates for more intentional and supportive advising, noting that “just having intentional advisors and being a little bit more intentionality with the teacher’s own seeing what will best support your students” can make a significant difference in a student’s academic journey.
  2. Tailoring approaches to meet the unique needs of each student she works with. “I think of course working with each student is a little different. So I think just those who are in higher education have to learn what practice is best fit for each student,” she explains. She emphasizes that a one-size-fits-all approach is ineffective, as students have varying abilities and support needs. “You cannot come up with one plan and think it’s going to work for all students,” Tashawnna says. Some students can navigate the academic process independently, while others require more guidance and encouragement.

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The To&Through Project

The To&Through Project aims to increase high school & post-secondary completion for under-resourced students of color in Chicago & around the country.