“If you can dream it, you can be it.”
That was Jessica Anyaso’s mantra throughout her one-hour session, Careers in Science, at her former Club, the Pedersen-McCormick Club.
Jessica is a Boys Girls Clubs of Chicago Club alum, now working as an anesthesiologist at the University of Chicago. Since moving back to Chicago for her residency, she has wanted to return and connect with the kids at her former Club.
“I’ve always wanted to come back to the Club and do something like this,” Jessica said. “I always thought it was important to come back to the Club and give back in some way. This place was my second home for so long growing up.”
During the session, Jessica shared her story, how hard she studied when she was younger, and her pathway to becoming a doctor. Jessica was joined by her sister Cynthia, another Club alum, who was BGCC’s 2019 Youth of the Year. Both sisters grew up in the Club, attending from age 5 to age 18, along with their other three siblings.
After their introductions, each member created a career vision board, clipping through magazines or drawing images of what they hope to be when they grow up. Throughout the session, the Club members were able to ask Jessica about her pathway to becoming a doctor.
“I’m happy because I’m able to give back to my community and I’m really able to show up to the people that I love, which is [the Club members],” Jessica said.
And what was it like to be back and hang out with the kids of today?
“It was great – I could picture myself in their shoes, I feel like it was just yesterday that I was sitting where they are,” Jessica said.
She also said she would have loved to complete an activity like this – and she is certain her vision board would have said doctor.
As for the kids who participated, their career dreams range from serving in the Air Force, being an NBA coach, working on cell generation as a biomedical engineer or designing clothes as a fashion designer.
“If you can dream it, you can be it.”
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