Emmanuel Betson

A native of Ghana, Emmanuel Betson didn’t finish college – he opted to start a career in marketing, sales and publishing in his home country. When he moved to the U.S. and wanted to accelerate his career here through education, he had to start by getting his high school diploma. He first tried an alternative school, but decided taking the GED would be a better option for him. He did some research and found free GED prep classes at Olive-Harvey College, not far from where he lives on the south side of the city.

After a year of studying and preparing, Emmanuel earned his GED in the spring of 2018. Now, he’s a part of the Gateway Scholars program, which provides supports for adult education students as they transition to credit classes. He takes his first credit class in the fall of 2018, and hopes to go on to get his bachelor’s degree in marketing and business.

Emmanuel is working hard to show his three children the importance of getting an education. “I’m preparing them to go to college – just because I dropped out doesn’t mean they can drop out. I tell them how hard it is to go to school and work at the same time. They have to give it all they’ve got now, so once they are out they don’t have to struggle.”

Once he’s completed his bachelor’s degree, Emmanuel dreams about starting his own marketing business, and perhaps going on to get his MBA at one of Chicago’s top business schools.