Wentcher Scholars Class of 2020
IGNITING UNLIMITED IMPACT
Wentcher Scholars impact the world on local, national and international levels - they are researchers at the nation’s highest educational institutions and teachers who serve in elementary classrooms around Chicago
There are over 480 Wentcher scholar alumni who have graduated to date. Meet several of these leaders below.
From Fulbright recipients to forward-thinking doctors, engineers, entrepreneurs, and business professionals, Wentcher Scholars are formidable leaders in their communities. Our Wentcher scholars also include artists and writers, pastors, and EMTs
Jasmine Omeke, BA, MS
Wentcher Alumni
Whitney Young High School, 2010
Harvard University, 2014
DePaul University, 2018
Hitting the ground running after transferring in her Junior year to Whitney Young HS, Jasmine Omeke poured herself into her studies as well as volunteering in her community and pursuing creative writing with the After School Matters program. Her strong character, outstanding academic accomplishments and financial circumstances lead to her selection as a Wentcher Scholar, a Gates Millennium Scholar, among others, and she headed off to Harvard University. Four years later, Jasmine graduated Cum Laude with a BA in Social Studies with a focus on Urban Planning. She was also a recipient of a Fulbright Research Fellowship, which she used to undertake an independent research project at an African Music Archive in Frankfurt, Germany. Shortly after, she earned her MS in Computer Science at DePaul and pivoted into the tech industry. She then became a Software Engineer at Braintree, a division of PayPal. Jasmine is currently a Senior Software Engineer at Netflix in San Francisco and has returned to give back to the Wentcher Foundation over the last six years by serving as a candidate reviewer, interviewer and a keynote speaker at our Annual Wentcher Scholar Celebration. In her spare time, she likes to paint, travel and read mystery books.
Maryam Hanif
Wentcher Alumni
Lincoln Park High School, 2005
University of Illinois Chicago, 2009
University of Illinois Chicago, 2012
It was my dream to be an Engineer since 6th grade. Being a female, it has been a challenging path, at times being the only female in the room. But with the support of so many wonderful people I have been able to grow in my career, lead teams, and make my presence known as an Engineer without need to denote being a “female.” It also allowed me to mentor and motivate younger girls to pursue this career path as a dream.” One of the biggest blessings of receiving a Wentcher Scholarship in 2005, Maryam says, was being able to achieve that dream without the constant worry of paying off loans. “I have been able to pursue opportunities that I may not have otherwise.” Born in the UAE to Pakistani parents who moved to the U.S. when she was thirteen, Maryam attended Lincoln Park High School in Chicago and completed a Bachelors and Masters in Bioengineering at the University of Illinois at Chicago. One of three siblings, a twin brother and younger sister, she concedes that her life would have been quite different without the Wentcher scholarship. Being immigrants, my parents’ biggest goal when moving to America and leaving their lives behind, was for their kids to get a good education and accomplish great things. All of us would have been in college at the same time, which would have been extremely challenging for my parents. I was a member of one of the earliest classes to receive the Wentcher scholarship, and recall meeting Ernie Wentcher at his apartment prior to being interviewed. As a daughter of immigrant parents, my interview ended up becoming a family affair. My dad and Ernie chatted about their travels and shared their life stories, while I sat there semi-embarrassed, and quite nervous. Ernie took the time to talk to me and the other candidates and eased our nerves before our interviews. Looking back, I imagine the scene much as a grandfather sharing stories from his youth with his grandkids. As a result of my own experiences, I am eager to give back to society. For the past decade I have been a mentor for women in science and engineering fields.
Dr. Nicholas Peace
Wentcher Alumni
Whitney Young High School, 2003
M.I.T., 2007
Northwestern, 2012
Fuller Theological Seminary, 2020
Dr. Nicholas Pearce is a native of Chicago’s South Side. Following graduation from Whitney Young HS, he was accepted at MIT, became a Wentcher Scholar, and was honored with a number of other awards and scholarships. He earned his B.S. in Chemical Engineering & Management from MIT with a concentration in Religious Studies and went on to earn an M.A. in Theology from Fuller Theological Seminary and an M.S. and Ph.D. in Management & Organizations from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. He now serves as an award-winning organizational behavior professor at Northwestern’s Kellogg School, the founder and chief executive officer of The Vocati Group, a boutique global management consultancy, and assistant pastor of Chicago’s historic, 12,000-member Apostolic Church of God. He is also the author of a bestselling book, The Purpose Path: A Guide to Pursuing Your Authentic Life’s Work. An internationally-recognized thought leader on values-driven leadership and organizational transformation, Dr. Pearce has served as a trusted adviser, executive coach, and sought-after speaker for over 200 leading corporations, social impact organizations, communities of faith, educational institutions, and government organizations on six continents. Nicholas is deeply committed to community impact, serving as a trustee, board member, and adviser for many community organizations, and has also given back to the Wentcher Foundation as a volunteer interviewer and keynote speaker at the annual Wentcher Scholar Celebration.
Rafal Sabota, MD, PhD
Wentcher Alumni
Hubbard HS, 2003
University of Chicago, 2007
Vanderbilt University, 2011
When Rafal Sobota arrived in Chicago from Poland in eighth grade he spoke virtually no English. With a passion for learning and a desire for a career in medicine—a calling that had come to him after witnessing the fading health of loved ones in the past. Rafal graduated from Hubbard High School and with the financial assistance from the Wentcher Foundation, the University of Chicago a job of up to 30 hours a week, Rafal was able to attend the University of Chicago and graduate with a dual major in Chemistry and Biochemistry. Feeling the urge to respond to the world’s problems, Rafal began with trips to help rebuild hurricane torn New Orleans, participate in an agroforestry project in Senega and a project that would keep him busy for several years: the creation of a school in Kenya – raising funds, writing grants, collecting laptops, developing construction plans and helping to supply the school’s library with 1,700 books. While doing this, Rafal also pursued his MD, a PhD in Genetic Epidemiology, and master’s degree in Public Health at Vanderbilt University. Rafal is currently the Academic Chief Resident in Northwestern Memorial Hospital’s Department of Neurology expanding his interests in genetics, global health and neurocritical care.
No matter the undergraduate major or the pathway they decide to take after college, the Wencher community is here to support them.
MEET OUR RECENT ALUMNI
| First Name | Last Name | HS | College |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jubril | Adeagbo | South Shore International College Prep HS | Emory University |
| Alejandro | Aguilar | Perspectives – Joslin | Northwestern University |
| Esther | Ajayi | Chicago Math and Science Academy | University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign |
| Miguel | Aponte | George Washington HS | Northwestern University |
| Victor | Becerril | Lane Technical College Prep HS | University of Washington-Seattle Campus |
| Trevon | Bosley | Gwendolyn Brooks College Prep Academy | Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville |
| Guillermo | Camarillo | George Westinghouse College Prep | Stanford University |
| Maria | De Leon | Von Steuben Metropolitan Science Center | Harvard University |
| Victoria | DeLira | Lane Technical College Prep HS | Northwestern University |
| Samuel | Detmer | Walter Payton College Prep | Harvard University |
| Jonathan | Diaz | Prosser Career Academy | University of Illinois at Chicago |
| Anna | Espinoza | Social Justice HS | Roosevelt University |
| Cynthia | Estrada-Diaz de Leon | Lindblom Math & Science Academy | University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign |
| Muzna | Fatima | Senn HS | Denison University |
| Matteo | Geatti | George Westinghouse College Prep | University of Pennsylvania |
| Kennedy | Graves | Lindblom Math & Science Academy | Cornell University |
| Gregory | Garvey | Lindblom Math & Science Academy | Vanderbilt University |
| Jessica | Hannsberry | King College Prep | Spelman College |
| Gregory | Harris | Noble – Gary Comer | Brown University |
| Nia | Harris | Whitney Young Magnet HS | New York University |
| Kaylen | Herring | Lindblom Math & Science Academy | Howard University |
| Amanda | Hoyne | Whitney Young Magnet HS | New York University |
| David | Jeffries | Mather HS | Morehouse College |
| Tommy | Johnson | Chicago Tech Academy | University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign |
| Takyla | Jones | King College Prep | Spelman College |
| Carriana | Juliano | Noble – Noble Street | University of Wisconsin-Madison |
| Lina | Kapp | Northside College Prep HS | Yale University |
| Leah | King | Lincoln Park HS | University of Southern California |
| Charles | Kay | Whitney Young Magnet HS | Vanderbilt University |
| Justin | Lam | Whitney Young Magnet HS | University of Southern California |
| Kevin | Lee | Northside College Prep HS | Northwestern University |
| Jerry | Limon | Phoenix Military Academy | University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign |
| Alex | Macedo | Hubbard HS | Northwestern University |
| Anthony | Martinez | Chicago Academy HS | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor |
| Susana | Martinez | Chicago Academy HS | DePaul University |
| Veronica | Matsuk | Taft HS | University of Wisconsin-Madison |
| Ida | Maung | Noble – Muchin | Colorado College |
| Michael | Mills | Whitney Young Magnet HS | Brown University |
| Alberto | Montes | Lane Technical College Prep HS | University of Illinois at Chicago |
| Devin | Montgomery | Lindblom Math & Science Academy | Dartmouth College |
| Khyla | Morgan | Orr Academy HS | Agnes Scott College |
| Vanessa | Ocampo | Solorio Academy HS | Denison University |
| Michael | O’Sullivan | Walter Payton College Prep | Pomona College |
| Ester | Perez | Lincoln Park HS | Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology |
| Janaei | Phillips | Jones College Prep HS | Loyola University Chicago |
| Madeline | Poole | Chicago HS for Agricultural Sciences | University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign |
| Sulaiman | Raji | Phillips Academy HS | Illinois Institute of Technology |
| Leonardo | Rivera | Lane Technical College Prep HS | Northwestern University |
| Taja | Robertson | Kenwood Academy | University of Illinois at Chicago |
| Jocelyn | Rodriguez | Bogan HS | Knox College |
| Kyle | DeLeon | Clemente Community Academy | University of Illinois at Chicago |
| Jordi | Rosado | Infinity Math Science & Technology HS | DePaul University |
| Zachary | Sebek | Whitney Young Magnet HS | Tufts University |
| Adelina | Socite | Rickover Naval Academy | University of Illinois at Chicago |
| Oumar | Soumare | King College Prep | University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign |
| Sobia | Sultana | Northside College Prep HS | Illinois Institute of Technology |
| Amy | Tan | Whitney Young Magnet HS | Harvard University |
| Christopher | Wilson | Von Steuben Metropolitan Science Center | University of Wisconsin-Madison |
| Nova | Xu | Walter Payton College Prep | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| Jennifer | Zhuo | Whitney Young Magnet HS | University of Chicago |
| Olivia | Chudziaszek | Maine South HS | Oakton Community College |
| Michael | De La Rosa | Maine West HS | Oakton Community College |
| Tianna | Henry | Evanston Township HS | Oakton Community College |
| Thomas | Jeske | Maine South HS | Oakton Community College |
| Neda | Vasevski | Northrop HS | Oakton Community College |
| Romeo | Abregana | Maine Township HS East | Oakton Community College, University of Illinois at Chicago |
| Sheryl Lhei | Cabading | Niles West HS | Oakton Community College, University of Illinois at Chicago |
| Spencer | Kabat | Homeschool | Oakton Community College, Purdue University |
| George | Lucaciu | Maine Township HS East | Oakton Community College, University of Illinois at Chicago |
| Margaret | Stangel | The Willows Academy | Oakton Community College, Carroll University |
| John | Yenter-Briars | Homeschool | Oakton Community College, DePaul University |
| First Name | Last Name | HS | College |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regan | Allen | Kenwood Academy | University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign |
| Maribel | Alvarez | Bogan HS | City Colleges of Chicago – Richard J. Daley College |
| Stephany | Baca | Senn HS | Lake Forest College |
| Christian | Badillo | Lane Technical College Prep HS | Stanford University |
| Lizbeth | Bautista | Lake View HS | Denison University |
| Cierra | Brewer | Jones College Prep HS | University of Wisconsin-Madison |
| Erianna | Burrel | Phillips Academy HS | University of Iowa |
| Dontae | Burton | Douglass Academy HS | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale |
| Jose | Cervantes | Lincoln Park HS | Emory University |
| Jessica | Criollo | Lake View HS | Loyola University Chicago |
| Kimberly | Crow | Northside College Prep HS | University of Wisconsin-Madison |
| Matthew | Deckert | Roosevelt HS | University of Illinois at Chicago |
| Vera | Demchenko | Lane Technical College Prep HS | University of Colorado Boulder |
| Weimin | Deng | George Westinghouse College Prep | University of Southern California |
| Mayra | Diaz | Phoenix Military Academy | Lake Forest College |
| Federico | Flores | Chicago Academy HS | Dominican University |
| Quinton | Goins | Gwendolyn Brooks College Prep Academy | DePaul University |
| Amina | Hadzic | Amundsen HS | DePaul University |
| Malik | Hamilton | Lane Technical College Prep HS | Knox College |
| Francisco | Herrera | Prosser Career Academy | Illinois Institute of Technology |
| Joanne | Huang | Jones College Prep HS | Northwestern University |
| Raquel | Jenkins | Hyde Park Academy HS | University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign |
| Daniel | Johnson | Lindblom Math & Science Academy | University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign |
| Justyna | Kubek | Chicago Academy HS | Lake Forest College |
| Julia | Kulhawik | Von Steuben Metropolitan Science Center | Michigan State University |
| Carlos | Leon | Carl Schurz HS | City Colleges of Chicago-Wilbur Wright College |
| Miguel | Mendoza | Lincoln Park HS | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor |
| Alexis | Murillo | Chicago HS for Agricultural Sciences | University of Minnesota-Twin Cities |
| Akporesiri | Omene | Perspectives – IIT Math & Science | Illinois Institute of Technology |
| Alexis | Perez | Taft HS | University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign |
| Nicholas | Ramos | Lane Technical College Prep HS | Eastern Illinois University |
| Sarah | Sanchez | Whitney Young Magnet HS | University of Illinois at Chicago |
| Giovanni | Santiago | Northside College Prep HS | Brown University |
| Yarimar | Serges | Lake View HS | University of Illinois at Chicago |
| Hamna | Siddiqui | Senn HS | Denison University |
| Niambi | Smith | Clemente Community Academy | Howard University |
| Crystal | Stonewall | Chicago HS for Agricultural Sciences | University of Wisconsin-Madison |
| Thomas | Szeremeta | Lincoln Park HS | University of Denver |
| Melissa | Taing | Lane Technical College Prep HS | Colorado College |
| Robert | Tichy | Whitney Young Magnet HS | Arizona State University-Tempe |
| Thu | Vo | Mather HS | Denison University |
| Christopher | Washington | Noble – UIC | Southern Methodist University |
| Thomas | Krupa | St. Patrick HS | Oakton Community College |
| John | McHugh | St. Patrick HS | Oakton Community College |
| Cesar | Soria | Maine West HS | Oakton Community College |
| Kristine | Aglikin | Maine South HS | Oakton Community College, University of Illinois at Chicago |
| Allison | Bayro | Maine West HS | Oakton Community College, University of Illinois at Chicago |
| Jessica | Chepurda | Glenbrook South HS | Oakton Community College, University of Illinois at Chicago |
| Kevin | Kowalski | Maine South HS | Oakton Community College, University of Illinois at Chicago |
| Joseph | Pineda | Glenbrook South HS | Oakton Community College, University of Wisconsin-Madison |
| Donald | Shipman | Niles North HS | Oakton Community College, DePaul University |
| First Name | Last Name | HS | College |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trinity | Adamsel | King College Prep | University of Missouri-Columbia |
| Troy | Boccelli | Walter Payton College Prep | Harvard University |
| Jaeda | Branch | Morgan Park HS | University of Chicago |
| Lissett | Camargo | Phoenix Military Academy | Connecticut College |
| Michael | Estrada | George Washington HS | City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College |
| Ashley | Gordon | DeVry University Advantage Academy | University of Illinois at Chicago |
| Michelle | Guzman | Solorio Academy HS | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale |
| Davit | Ksor | Von Steuben Metropolitan Science Center | University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign |
| Frank | Lawrence | King College Prep | Morehouse College |
| Araceli | Llamas | Thomas Kelly HS | DePaul University |
| Dale | Lord | Lane Technical College Prep HS | Vassar College |
| Sarah | Martin | Northside College Prep HS | University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign |
| Ololade | Olawale | Lindblom Math & Science Academy | Cornell University |
| Breana | Sample | King College Prep | American InterContinental University-Atlanta |
| Adalberto | Soto | Solorio Academy HS | Trinity College |
| Danya | Springer | Urban Prep – Bronzeville | Saint Xavier University |
| Marquis | Watson | Hyde Park Academy HS | US Military Academy – West Point |
| Kathryn | Christopher | Niles North HS | Oakton Community College |
| Jessica | Dirkis | Niles West HS | Oakton Community College |
| Alexandra | Gruezo | Niles West HS | Oakton Community College |
| Catherine | Cangelosi | Maine South HS | Oakton Community College, Northern Illinois University |
| Dianna | Fulea | Niles West HS | Oakton Community College, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign |
| Brandon | Kabat | Homeschool | Oakton Community College, Elmhurst College |
| Olivia | Kisielewski | Niles West HS | Oakton Community College, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign |
| Simone | Montgomery | New Trier Township HS | Oakton Community College, University of California-Los Angeles |
| James | Payne | Maine West HS | Oakton Community College, Kendall College |
| Stephanie | Warda | Niles North HS | Oakton Community College, Northeastern Illinois University |
| First Name | Last Name | HS | College |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yaneli | Arizmendi | Noble – Pritzker | University of Pennsylvania |
| Ana | Artiaga | Curie Metropolitan HS | University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign |
| James | Bender | Gwendolyn Brooks College Prep Academy | University of Missouri-Columbia |
| Anthony | Bermeo | Northside College Prep HS | University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign |
| Hei | Chan | Whitney Young Magnet HS | University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign |
| Benjamin | Froman | Whitney Young Magnet HS | Tulane University of Louisiana |
| Francisco | Garcia- Salas | Curie Metropolitan HS | University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign |
| Shshank | Karn | Senn HS | Middlebury College |
| Soo Bin | Kim | Lane Technical College Prep HS | University of Illinois at Chicago |
| Rocio | Meza | Social Justice HS | Columbia University in the City of New York |
| Evelina | Mitoraj | Chicago Academy HS | Roosevelt University |
| Samuel | Pedersen | Taft HS | Lake Forest College |
| Haaris | Pervaiz | Northside College Prep HS | Northwestern University |
| Patrice | Pirpiris | Taft HS | Loyola University Chicago |
| DeJaujhn | Thompson | Noble – Noble Street | Millikin University |
| Josalyn | Saez | Hyde Park Academy HS | Connecticut College |
| Lachlan | Chen | Niles North HS | Oakton Community College |
| Francesca | Fragale | Maine West HS | Oakton Community College |
| Dennise | Kelly | Maine West HS | Oakton Community College |
| Fiona | Prieto | Niles West HS | Oakton Community College |
| Sarah | Scheau | Maine West HS | Oakton Community College |
| James | Aglikin | Maine South HS | Oakton Community College, DePaul University |
| Johnathan | Bendewald | Glenbrook North HS | Oakton Community College, Cornell College |
| Zainab | Khan | Niles North HS | Oakton Community College, Vanderbilt University |
| Katherine | Szczepanski | Maine Township HS | Oakton Community College, Elmhurst College |
| Cody | Slivka | Glenbrook South HS | Oakton Community College, University of Wisconsin-Platteville |
| Lauren | Skolak | Maine South HS | Oakton Community College, University of Wisconsin-White Water |
Get Involved
Our current Wentcher Scholars thrive with your support and connection.
There are opportunities to engage with current Wentcher Scholars through our summer Internship Initiative, plus a new Mentorship program in late 2021.