Paralegal Program at Harold Washington

When Angela Hunter bumped into an old friend while shopping in the Loop, she couldn’t help but admire the friend for going back to school to fulfill her dreams. The chance encounter was just the motivation Angela needed to fast-track her own dreams, and she didn’t want to wait another minute. Harold Washington College was right across the street, so Angela walked in, thinking she would be able to get a few questions answered. She walked out as a registered college student.

Driven by a passion to support Black and Brown communities, the 54-year-old Rogers Park resident started out studying psychology before Harold Washington launched its Paralegal Program. Although Angela “always wanted to be a legal eagle,” she admits she was intimidated by the program at first. However, her advisor, Courtney Gardner, mapped out a pathway for Angela, showing – and encouraging – her that an associate degree in Paralegal was within reach.

The program wasn’t easy, but Angela says she was supported by exceptional professors and the tutoring center at HWC all the way through. She earned her associate degree in December 2020 and was accepted into the bachelor’s degree program in Paralegal Studies at Roosevelt University, where she enrolled this spring as a junior. All of the rigorous coursework at HWC seems to have paid off – Angela says she feels well-prepared for her bachelor’s level classes.

What’s next? After she graduates from Roosevelt, Angela plans to continue her studies and pursue her master’s degree. As of now, she’s interested in family law and wants to use her education to advocate for underserved communities.

From owning her own business to a career in the medical field, Angela has stacked up quite a diverse resume over the years, and she can’t wait to close out the list with the profession of her dreams in the legal sector.