Testimonials

Luke Tervola
Concordia College

The ACM Chicago Program fits best for a student who is willing to burst out of the bubble of traditional education into the realm of real experiences, real people, and real communities.

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JinJie Song
Knox College

Not only did the Chicago Program entrepreneurship track allow me to apply the knowledge I learned into my internship, but also it taught me things that I couldn’t learn in a college classroom. 

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Ben Cronin
Colorado College

During my semester in the ACM Chicago Program, I had a personally educational experience with my internship, which provided a strong fundamental experience in the working world that I will remember for a long time.

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Sarah Stinson
Monmouth College

I feel that the Chicago Program made me a different person – one who gained a fresh perspective on the world through the lens of examining urban and social justice issues in Chicago.

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Mayo Sonko
Macalester College

The ACM Chicago Program provided me with a new perspective of the city. I was able to observe city dynamics through the lens of a resident rather than someone who was just passing through.

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Timothy Garibay
Valparaiso University

I am known as an outgoing person, but I was nervous to move to a big city for the Chicago Program. My first week was a smooth transition, and by the second week, I had landed an internship with an organization downtown.

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Rachel Molenaar
Concordia College

Through all four of the Chicago Program components, both in the classroom and out in the city, I grew not only as a student, but also as a citizen.

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Kevin Parker
Grinnell College

My internship through the Chicago Program allowed me to make valuable connections in a field I want to be involved with, and I am still in contact with all these people today.

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Stevie Croisant
Monmouth College

The Chicago Program staff helped me establish connections in Chicago. I am most grateful for the internship I had. I truly had an unforgettable experience that has allowed me to shape my post-graduation plans and goals.

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Isaac Stewart-Silver
Macalester College

In the Chicago Program I was encouraged to immerse myself in the complex and vibrant city of Chicago and, even more importantly, I felt supported in trying to engage with all the complications, injustice, inspiration, struggles, and hope I came in contact with.

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Sara Bennett
Lake Forest College

The exploratory environment that the Chicago Program fosters allowed me to experiment artistically. Insights I gained from participating in the program undoubtedly shaped my outlook on my education and art for the better.

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Tirzah Blair
St. Olaf College

Attending the variety of art, theatre, music, dance, and literary events in Chicago with my encouraging professors and classmates inspired a greater thirst for the arts.

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Amanda Huels
Illinois Wesleyan University

Participating in the Chicago Program offered me a new lens from which to view the world. I became engaged in multiple social justice movements and was inspired to take what I had learned back to my college campus with me.

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Katie Spencer
Illinois Wesleyan University

The Chicago Program was definitely the best decision of my college experience. I have grown more in my major and skills than during my previous years at school because I finally discovered what kind of artist I want to be.

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Sara Bodner
Colorado College

Through the ACM Chicago Program, I learned how to navigate a large city, successfully function in an internship setting, and ask critical questions of individuals with intimate knowledge of urban issues.

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Taihua Li
Ripon College

I loved my semester in Chicago and I loved the people I met there. The Chicago Program gave me not only a chance to meet new people and build great networks in the city, but also to learn a lot of practical skills.

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Justin Williams
Beloit College

I have had positive experiences throughout this semester on the Chicago Program, but my most positive experience has been my interactions with the faculty. While working on my independent study project, the faculty were all very helpful.

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David Rao
Macalester College

I really appreciated (and continue to appreciate!) my relationships with all the Chicago Program professors. I feel their expertise and knowledge of the city and their respective fields is a huge reason why I enjoyed the program so much.

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Molly Nelson
Beloit College

During my semester on the Chicago Program, the opportunity to meet with artists in their studios and see exactly what it means to be a working artist in Chicago was extremely valuable.

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Eric Boyken
Luther College

I have immensely enjoyed living in the city of Chicago, and I look forward to applying how much I have developed personally, professionally, and academically to my educational experience going forward.

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Eric Anderson
St. Olaf College

The Chicago Program made me a real citizen of Chicago and the world. I met people in their real context, often without the usual safety nets. I tested my own values and reached concrete goals.

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Maria Wagenhofer
Valparaiso University

Hands down, my time spent in Chicago has been the best experience I have had in college. I learned many new perspectives on social justice issues and was able to get involved in some of them as a part of class and outside of class.

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Doyi Lee
Grinnell College

By immersing myself in Chicago’s urban yet diverse culture, I learned about the social and political issues in the area firsthand, absorbed both the local and global art scene, and challenged my creativity through my independent study project.

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Ann Kenseth
Ripon College

The social justice track of the Chicago Program opened my eyes to human rights issues and social issues I never knew about. The best part is that you’re out of the classroom, exploring so much of the city.

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Molly Moon
St. Olaf College

As an experiential program, what you gain from studying various business models, speaking with entrepreneurs, and exploring Chicago cannot be replicated in your traditional on-campus classroom.

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Carly Ellefsen
Luther College

Participating in the ACM Chicago Program was the best decision I made in college, because having connections from the internship component will help me excel in the future.

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Jessica Ramirez
Coe College

The coursework in the Chicago Program focused on current Chicago issues. It was amazing to be up close and personal to experience the city's social justice, education, and political system through ACM.

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Jim Gregory
Hanover College

I would not have the motivation, determination, and vision toward achieving my business goals had I not experienced this entrepreneurial program in the extremely supportive and approachable city of Chicago. It changed my life.

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Nancy Epling
Hanover College

The Chicago Program has opened up future career possibilities and connected me with amazing people in the professional art world. I plan on going back to Chicago in the near future.

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Jane Robinson
Macalester College

I had so much fun in Chicago during my ACM Chicago Program semester. I have never had such inspiring and approachable educators.

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Alison Meinert
Concordia College

Learning about Chicago and its issues was intriguing, and I also had a great internship experience. It was great being with people interested in the same issues I was.

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Jennifer Tongen
St. Olaf College

My semester with ACM in Chicago was an incredible growth experience for me. I learned how to live independently in a big city while maintaining coursework, traveling across the city for classes, and working two days a week at an interactive internship.

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Smriti Agarwal
Colorado College

My experience in the Chicago Program has helped shape my future aspirations. The entrepreneurship seminar field visits gave me the opportunity to meet top entrepreneurs and listen to their success stories, which has inspired me to start my own business.

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John Brendan Horgan
College of Wooster

Not only did we visit numerous neighborhoods throughout Chicago, but we talked with the individuals leading, working with, or volunteering at the non-profits and organizations working for social change and social justice.

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Bethany Garling
Valparaiso University

The Chicago Program encouraged me to consider the city as a collection of voices and experiences, and gave me the insight to understand what my story can mean within this larger context.

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Sarah Wool
Colorado College

The Chicago Program gave me an invaluable chance to test-drive life as a young person in a vibrantly creative city, and, in the midst of that testing, to figure out so much more about myself.

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Taylor Shelton
Monmouth College

I not only gained new experiences from the Chicago Program, but most importantly, I found out more about myself and the passions that I want to pursue in the future.

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Sarah Jones
Lake Forest College

During my semester on the Chicago Program, I liked the many arts-related field trips we took. I appreciated the encouragement of the faculty and enjoyed my internship, which made me interested in pursuing art therapy as a career.

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Shea Love
Lawrence University

Within the vast and beautifully diverse streets of Chicago, I had the opportunity to explore and discover the need for creative expression and restorative justice. I was able to truly engage with all sorts of communities.

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Giulia Hines
Colorado College

Every day of the Chicago Program felt like a field trip and every night felt like we were big adults living on our own. My time spent discovering new things in Chicago has only just begun.

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Katie Derrah
Carleton College

The Chicago Program was the most relevant, applicable, and important academic experience I’ve had. I learned to think critically about the institutions that surrounded me and to seek out resources and connections throughout the city. 

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Abdulsalam Oganla
Knox College

The ACM Chicago Program helped me realize the love I have for Chicago and cities in general, and helped me make a ton of career networking connections.

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Sarah Stanciu
Beloit College

During the Chicago Program, I remember the first time I broke my own stereotype of the south side of Chicago. It was then I was reminded how people are not a color, a history, a reputation, a race, or a news brief. People are just human.

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Shea Love
Lawrence University

Within the vast and beautifully diverse streets of Chicago, I had the opportunity to explore and discover the need for creative expression and restorative justice. I was able to truly engage with all sorts of communities.

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Michael Bonner
Colorado College

The Chicago Program gave me the opportunity to truly explore artistry through the Chicago lenses without restriction. I got the opportunity to write a novel, a goal I had been hoping to achieve for a long time, and to make it part of my coursework.

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Amanda Graber
Valparaiso University

The Chicago Program gave me a really unique experience. The “real world” experiences of living in the city, internships, independent study projects, and field visits have taught me life lessons I might never have learned on campus.

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Angela Jos
Illinois Wesleyan University

The Chicago Program not only helped me discover more about myself as a person, it allowed me to explore different career options.The experience you have is up to you. You can focus it on one area or you can explore them all. 

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Fannie Fan
Knox College

Living in Chicago allowed me to meet so many great people, and I was able to fully utilize all the resources Chicago had to offer in order to determine my potential career path.

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Cristina Landa
Colorado College

Although there are education classes at my college, the experience of my Chicago Program internship, independent study project, and seminar were a much more thorough and experiential way of investigating this topic.

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Ian Gacheru
St. Olaf College

My Chicago Program semester will undoubtedly be one of the best experiences of my college career, because I have learned so much about myself, business, urban issues, and arts.

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Abby Cary
Colorado College

Living in Chicago gave me an incredible opportunity to experience urban life as a student, intern, and resident. I enjoyed working with my peers to interpret the city through various mediums.

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Maddie Guy
Hanover College

I truly gained independence during my time in the ACM Chicago Program. I think the opportunity to live on our own and have the opportunity to work in a company as an intern was a great look at what to expect in the coming years.

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Evin Lantz
Luther College

With my entrepreneurial ventures after the Chicago Program, I will always strive to bring more people together and strengthen not only my businesses, but also society.

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Steven Hopkins
Knox College

While the speakers and readings provided context and really solidified the lessons learned from these experiences, the level of direct interaction with the city was the Chicago Program’s greatest strength.

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Weicheng Zou
Carleton College

Before I attended the Chicago Program, I have little idea about creativity and its importance in business and entrepreneurship. I also had the chance to intern in a financial advisory firm and learned to adapt to its unique business environment.

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Rakhi Voria
Colorado College

The Chicago Program was the perfect combination of real-world working experience, city living, and academia. It gave me a unique and holistic view of the many issues facing our society today.

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