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Malcolm X College’s Phlebotomy program has already set Dawshierra Melton up for a successful career: she’s a phlebotomist at Northwestern. Now, she’s back in school at Malcolm X preparing to become an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT).
Malcolm X College’s Phlebotomy program has already set Dawshierra Melton up for a successful career: she’s a phlebotomist at Northwestern. Now, she’s back in school at Malcolm X preparing to become an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT).
As a phlebotomist, Dawshierra spends her days drawing blood, which is something she really enjoys. But helping patients has always been her goal.
“The human body is very interesting to me,” Dawshierra said. “I always wanted to work in the medical field.”
Soon, Dawshierra is hoping to begin helping patients in a new role. She’s now taking her pre-requisite courses for the EMT program. After completing that training, she will be a first responder prepared to help sick and injured patients.
While Dawshierra is a South Sider, she makes the commute to Malcolm X College because she loves the school, because it’s City Colleges’ Center of Excellence in Healthcare, and because her sister is a Malcolm X student enrolled in a medical program too. She also appreciates the support she gets from her instructors and thinks employers are impressed by a Malcolm X education.
“They see that it’s a good school,” she said. “I think it plays a big role in why some of us got hired.”
Additionally, Dawshierra enjoys being a Project MPACT recipient. This program provides tuition, stipends, and job training for eligible students enrolled in certain programs at Malcolm X.
“It was very helpful because it gave us the resources we need so we don’t have to worry about paying for the program,” Dawshierra said. “It helped prepare us for interviews.”
Dawshierra dreams of completing the EMT program at Malcolm X College in 2024. Then, she hopes to find an EMT job that will allow her to travel.
After moving to Chicago from California, Giovanny Reyes started at City Colleges of Chicago hoping to further his career. While studying marketing at Harold Washington College, he became aware of the digital divide that affects students.
Leonard is a driver for Uber, Lyft, DoorDash, and Uber Eats, he’s a drummer for three bands, and he’s a Malcolm X student—but he’s determined to reach his end goal.
After seven years of hard work, Shirley completed her associate degree in general studies from Malcolm X College in May of 2017. It was Shirley’s daughter who urged her to go back to school, but it was Shirley—at 60 years young—who made it happen.
