Photo Gallery

The Center for Workforce Equity is dedicated to connecting Chicago State University students with high-impact career opportunities and professional development experiences. Our gallery showcases recent events, site visits, and conferences where students engaged directly with industry leaders, gained valuable insights, and built essential networks to launch successful careers.

A group of seven adults standing and smiling in the lobby of Elgin Community College

The Center for Workforce Equity rallies alongside Chicago State University students and staff at the Illinois State Board of Education meeting to advocate for the release of the 2% in funding withheld from public state university institutions by the U.S. federal administration.

A man speaking at a podium to a large audience seated at round tables in a brightly lit room.

The “Taking the Fear Out of Mentoring” event, co-hosted by the Center for Workforce Equity and the Chicago State University Athletics Department, informed students about the importance of mentorship and provided practical steps for obtaining a mentor. The event featured keynote speaker Paris Thomas, Chief Operations Officer of Pulse of Perseverance, who shared powerful insights on building meaningful mentor relationships and overcoming barriers to success.

our women posing together in front of the AAAA conference backdrop

The Center for Workforce Equity accompanied two Chicago State University College of Business Finance Students at the Association of African-American Financial Advisors’ Women’s Impact Initiative Network Conference, Downtown Chicago, IL. The students gained valuable insights into the finance industry and connected with industry leaders to explore career pathways and professional growth opportunities.

Lisa Pratt, Executive Director of the CWE, talks to a student in front of a backdrop for the "Association of African American Financial Advisors (AAAA).

Lisa Pratt, Executive Director of the Center for Workforce Equity, at the African American Association for Financial Advisors’ Women’s Impact Initiative Network Conference in Downtown Chicago, IL, where she coached a Chicago State University finance student on professional navigation strategies to leverage during the executive-level industry event.

Audience sitting in rows at Spark Foundry’s corporate office event.

The Center for Workforce Equity, in collaboration with the Chicago State University College of Business and the CMAT (Communications, Media, Arts, Theatre) Departments hosted a site visit for Chicago State University students to Leo Burnett and Publicis Groupe's Spark Foundry corporate offices in downtown Chicago, IL. The visit provided students with valuable insights into day-to-day operations in the advertising and marketing industry, company culture, and available career opportunities.