Success Story: Meet Emiliana

Bridge to Success
When Emiliana de Santos Guzman moved to Chicago from Veracruz, Mexico, at age 19, she knew she wanted to go to college but knew it would be complicated. “I really needed something I could afford and the fact that St. Augustine College (SAC) was a bilingual institution was great for me because my English wasn’t that great in the beginning,” says de Santos, “It’s so different from any other school where you are just a number. St. Augustine is like a big family. Everyone knows you by name, and they are there to support you” explains de Santos, who graduated at the top of her class with a bachelor’s degree in 2020, earning the title of valedictorian. “As the slogan says, they create a bridge between staying in your neighborhood and only speaking Spanish to entering society and being successful in this country as well. I am grateful to St. Augustine for giving me all the tools that got me to where I am today.”