BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – Illinois Wesleyan University senior Bianca Spratt knows that having the support of a university can make all the difference.
A sociology major, Spratt is a first-generation college student from Chicago’s South Side. “Where I come from a lot of people don’t make it out and go to college or graduate from college,” said Spratt, who knew she wanted a degree that would enable her to return to her community and open a youth center. “At home, I had a lot of mentors who took me under their wing and showed me what community organizing was about, how to organize youth, how to allow youth to lead.” Spratt said she knew she would find the same mentoring relationships at Illinois Wesleyan.
That mentoring began with the Summer Enrichment Program (SEP) the summer before her first year at IWU. SEP offers minority students the opportunity to engage in an internship and connect with mentors. “It was a great way to begin my college career,” said Spratt.
Although her dream is to return to work in her Chicago neighborhood, Spratt said she also chose Illinois Wesleyan because of where it could take her. “I’ve always wanted to study abroad in Africa, and IWU is one of the few school that gives you the opportunity to study abroad and to graduate on time,” she said. To prepare, Spratt absorbed information from across the campus. “I took classes like Politics in Africa and African Expressive Art,” she said. “I spoke with Wesleyan students from Africa, who shared with me thoughts about their home.”