Sandra Jimenez
Sandra Jimenez
MEd, Early Childhood Education
2024 Dean's Merit Award
"This is a dream come true," said Sandra Jimenez. In the last year, she completed the UIC Alternative Licensure Program, earned a master's degree and obtained her teaching license.
Jimenez is an inspiration to other students. Her classmates chose her to be a speaker at the Alternative Licensure Program completer's ceremony in December 2023. She is a first-generation college student who worked full-time while attending UIC.
Jimenez said the program helps her to best represent students like her who have struggled, been in special education classes and lived in poverty. "I am able to be a teacher my students can see themselves in," she said.
While she worried she wouldn't be able to pass the licensure test, Jimenez passed it on the first try. She credited the program's quality and the instructors' support for that achievement.
After completing the program, she earned a master's degree, and she has been an inspiration to other students.
"Her thoughtful nature and ability to provide insightful contributions to class discussions made her an invaluable asset to her classmates. Sandra's critical reflections of her own experiences demonstrated her capacity to produce high-quality work through a social-justice lens," said Natalie Vesga, director of the Chicago Early Childhood Preparation and Pathway Project and Jimenez's coach and advisor.
Jimenez is excited to be able to work in a Chicago public school. "I'm able to give back to the community where I grew up," she said.