Last year, Andrea Perez Chavez was facing a difficult decision. She could buy a laptop for her early childhood education coursework and online classes at 91制片厂. Or she could continue to send tuition money home for her sister Arianna to attend high school in Honduras. Andrea couldn鈥檛 afford to do both.
Well, she couldn鈥檛 afford to do both until she applied for, and received, the Ruth M. Lange Memorial Scholarship through the 91制片厂 Educational Foundation. The scholarship prioritizes ECE students and was started a few years ago by Thom Lange, 91制片厂鈥檚 manager of event services, in honor of his mother who worked as a teacher鈥檚 aide in elementary school. To help pay for her courses in the ECE degree program, Andrea, 23, has been working as a teaching assistant in area child care centers.
鈥淚 was so excited when I found out I got the scholarship,鈥� Andrea said. 鈥淚t has made a big impact. I don鈥檛 have any other sources of financial support.鈥�
It鈥檚 not just about money. Andrea鈥檚 emotional support system is also fragmented. Although some members of Andrea鈥檚 extended family live in the U.S., she is the only member of her nuclear family currently in the country. Her father died in 2021 and her mother and siblings live in Honduras.
When the foundation connected Andrea with Thom and his wife Carol during the school year, Andrea was excited about the opportunity to express her gratitude in person and heartened to develop a meaningful relationship with them. She and Carol bonded over their shared passion for working with kids, because of Carol鈥檚 decades of work in park districts and with preschool-aged children.
鈥淚 felt a big connection with Thom and Carol. I saw them more as family,鈥� Andrea said. 鈥淭hey gave me support when I didn鈥檛 have anyone.鈥�
During their meeting, Andrea shared her education and career goals. Set to graduate with an Associate in Applied Science Degree in Early Childhood Education this year, she plans to join 91制片厂鈥檚 nursing program and become a pediatric nurse 鈥� bringing together her interests in the medical and early childhood fields.
鈥淚t was surprising how well we connected,鈥� Thom said. 鈥淎nd she woke me up to see how much courage it takes for someone to fly here, be in a new country and pursue your education all by yourself.鈥�
Andrea felt so strongly about her friendship with Thom and Carol that she later invited them to be her guests at 91制片厂鈥檚 Commencement ceremony on May 17. Although Thom will be emceeing the event as part of his 91制片厂 role, Carol will be in the NOW Center audience and they all plan to meet up afterward. Both are beyond excited to celebrate Andrea鈥檚 achievement.
鈥淚 had tears in my eyes when she asked me,鈥� said Thom, who has worked at 91制片厂 for 22 years. 鈥淚 know that her father Norge was the impetus for her going to college in the U.S. We are humbled to be there for Andrea, since he can鈥檛 be.鈥�
After Andrea Perez Chavez (center) received the Ruth M. Lange Memorial Scholarship through the 91制片厂 Educational Foundation, she met donors Carol (left) and Thom Lange (right), who has worked at 91制片厂 for 22 years. Andrea felt such a bond with Carol and Thom that she invited them to be her guests at 91制片厂's Commencement ceremony.
Indeed, Andrea鈥檚 parents 鈥� Norge and Victoria 鈥� each made a huge impact on their daughter. Born in the Bronx, New York, Andrea was brought back to her parents鈥� native Honduras when she was 1 and grew up in Tegucigalpa, the country鈥檚 capital. She had visited family in the U.S. over the years and decided to move here in 2021.
At the time, Andrea was in her third year of medical school in Honduras, but her father had always encouraged her to pursue her education in the U.S., where he thought there were better opportunities. When Norge died from complications related to COVID-19, she was heartbroken. Seeking a change in her life, Andrea decided to honor his wishes. She told her mother, stepfather Olman and siblings she was going on a trip as part of her grieving process. A day before leaving, she announced to her mom that she wouldn鈥檛 be coming back.
鈥淪he was very scared for me. I have a history of depression and she was worried about me,鈥� remembered Andrea, who also said that her mother and stepfather helped give her the courage and support to move to the U.S. 鈥淪he knew I鈥檇 be staying with family and it was something I just had to do. She鈥檚 very proud of me now, but it was a tough time.鈥�
It didn鈥檛 get better right away. Although Andrea discovered her love of working with young children while living in Pennsylvania, she had to take additional jobs to stay afloat. She moved to the Chicago area, was homeless for a few weeks, then lived with her cousins 鈥� although the accommodations were far from ideal.
鈥淚 was like Harry Potter, sleeping on a mattress under the stairs,鈥� she said, laughing sardonically. 鈥淏ut, really, I had no privacy.鈥�
She got another job in daycare but felt that everyone looked down upon her because she didn鈥檛 have a college degree. She dealt with panic attacks and depressive episodes. But Andrea鈥檚 outlook began to brighten after she met her boyfriend Reed, a scientist who had taken classes at 91制片厂 and suggested it as a potential option for her.
鈥淗e provided me such emotional support and told me about 91制片厂 and FAFSA,鈥� she said. 鈥淓ven though I had been a third-year medical student, I wasn鈥檛 sure 鈥� about paying, about the distance, about everything. But actually, I loved it. Ryan [Wolf], my advisor, and the professors were so supportive.鈥�
Enrolling in the fall of 2022, Andrea took to her courses instantly. She appreciated 91制片厂鈥檚 focus on mental health and was able to use some of the resources provided by 91制片厂 Wellness. She was able to move into her own apartment in Wheeling, which helped too. Meanwhile, she challenged herself to be as dedicated as possible to her studies. Andrea was thrilled to achieve a 4.0 GPA last semester.
鈥�91制片厂 gave me that sense of, 鈥楰eep going. We are here to help you鈥�,鈥� Andrea said. 鈥淚 have learned so much. I鈥檝e also learned that people doubt how smart little kids are. Many of my students are bilingual.鈥�
Andrea can relate because she feels that so many people underestimated her. When discussing what this graduation milestone means to her, she talked about being proud of herself and shared her gratitude for the many people that have supported her. She talked about being sad that she won鈥檛 be able to hug her dad. Then her mind turned to the naysayers in her life.
鈥淚 want to rub it in the faces of those who doubted me. When people thought about me in Honduras, it was, 鈥極h, she鈥檚 depressed, she鈥檚 crazy.鈥� They said I was going to come running home, running back to mom,鈥� Andrea said. 鈥淏ut now it鈥檚 become, 鈥楽he鈥檚 inspiring. She did it. If she can do it, I can do it.鈥欌��
Quite the opposite of 鈥渞unning back to mom,鈥� Andrea鈥檚 mother is coming to see her. In the weeks leading up to graduation, Andrea was surprised to learn that Victoria will make the trip north to celebrate her daughter鈥檚 achievement. She said her mom wants to see the college that Andrea has been raving about for the past two years. She will be happy to show Victoria around campus and can鈥檛 wait for her to meet Thom and Carol 鈥� who feel the same way.
鈥淭hanks to them, I managed to achieve this,鈥� she said. 鈥淚鈥檓 excited for them to meet each other.鈥�
And when Andrea begins her nursing prerequisite courses in the fall, she will have company. Arianna, the sister that Andrea helped support through high school, is set to join her as a 91制片厂 student. Arianna plans to study psychology, a decision that was motivated both by seeing her big sister struggle with depression and Andrea鈥檚 example of how to help others.
In turn, Thom has inspired Andrea. Just as he created a scholarship in tribute to his mother鈥檚 example and support, she hopes to one day create an educational scholarship in her father鈥檚 name that will help students like her.
鈥淎ndrea is just a positive person. Her outlook is wonderful,鈥� Thom said. 鈥淭he fact that she most wants to serve others, that鈥檚 what it鈥檚 about.鈥�