Refining the Spirit: First Students Graduate from Chicago Campus in Pilsen
This article appears in the Fall 2026 issue of the Dominican Magazine.
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As Dominican University marked its 125th anniversary last spring, a group of Chicago Campus students commemorated a very special occasion of their own.
The 15 students were members of the Chicago Campus’ first graduating class, each receiving a two-year Associate of Arts degree on May 10 during Dominican’s undergraduate commencement ceremony at Rosemont Theatre. The students were also treated to an intimate pre-graduation celebratory event at the Pilsen campus with their professors, program leaders, family and friends.
The event reflected the close-knit, supportive living-learning community the Chicago Campus has maintained since the first cohort of students arrived in August 2024. The students chose certified nurse assistant training, cybersecurity, legal studies or translation and interpretation as concentrations within their degree program.
“These students were the first to trust in us to steward their academic journey,” noted Dr. Barrington Price, chief executive officer of the Chicago Campus. “They were instrumental in not only understanding what the spirit of the Chicago Campus is, but also helping us refine how we live it. We as a campus are so proud of each and every student who are pioneers and trailblazers. They will impact so many other students to come.”
Nine Chicago Campus graduates transitioned to Dominican’s River Forest campus this fall to continue their education and pursue a bachelor’s degree. Camila Moran, who chose certified nursing assistant training as her Associate of Arts concentration, is looking forward to completing a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Dominican.
“It was a privilege to be part of the inaugural class at the Chicago Campus,” she said. “We got to experience some of the first runs for the campus, like Chicago as Campus, which was a class where we went out into the city, combining city life and learning in the same day.”
Chelsie Yanez-Lopez, another member of the inaugural class, plans to pursue a bachelor’s degree in marketing, followed by law school.
“I’ve been able to learn a lot about myself and the career path I want to take after I leave Dominican,” she said.