UIC Center for Literacy’s GED program opens doors for adult learners

At the UIC Center for Literacy, adult learners gather with a shared goal: earning a high school diploma through the center's GED program. For many, it is a milestone years in the making. The GED program, which served hundreds of learners over more than a decade, was paused between 2021 and 2024 due to a loss of funding. In fall 2024, the center was able to reinstate it, renewing its long-standing commitment to adult education and opportunity for Chicago communities.

Director Andrea Vaughan and a dedicated team lead the program, with curriculum designed by lead instructor Carina Gonzalez, enrollment and data support from Annaly Pardino and student support from case manager Maria Guadalupe Narvaez.

"Earning a GED doesn't just change one life," Vaughan said. "It impacts families and communities. At the UIC Center for Literacy, the GED program is more than a credential. It is a pathway forward for learners, families and the city they call home."

The program supports students as they prepare for four subject-area exams: math, science, social studies and language arts. Students can move at their own pace toward high school equivalency. In Illinois, passing the GED exams results in a state-issued high school diploma, opening doors to employment, higher education and new career opportunities.

This spring marks the first graduating cohort since the program's return, a celebratory moment for the participants. On Friday, June 26, a ceremony was held for four graduates of the program.

For graduate Leslie Cristobal, earning her GED represents both an accomplishment and a beginning.

"I decided to pursue my GED because I want to build a strong foundation for my future and begin working in the field I am most passionate about, early childhood development," she said. "Earning my GED is an important first step toward reaching that goal, as it opens the door to opportunities that were previously out of reach."

Cristobal hopes to continue her education and one day work in early childhood education, where she can make a meaningful impact in her community.

Graduate student instructors guide learners through each subject with patience and care, giving a level of support Cristobal credits for her success.

"The instructors were incredibly kind, patient and supportive throughout the entire process," she said. "They truly showed how much they cared about my success."

Each graduate shared what the program meant to them at the ceremony. For Sunny Turner Day, the GED program is creating a brighter future. He looks forward to earning a bachelor's degree and hopes to become an historian or work in a museum after college.

"I realized that I have a fresh start. I am here, with my GED and a brighter future and another step towards a higher education," said Day.

Graduate Erica Garcia Aguilera was inspired to get her GED by her daughter, who recently earned her bachelor's degree, the first in her family to do so.

"I should have been in the class of '99. And I am now class of 2026. Thank God it's never too late," she said.