Photo Caption: Mayor Emanuel Recognizes Chicago College Student Ariel Aguilera for Civic Leadership and Highlights the Importance of Volunteerism Photo Credit: Brooke Collins, City of Chicago

A graduating senior at Columbia, Aguilera has been an active member in her community as a volunteer at a local after-school science program, a rehabilitation centers and the Chicago Food Depository, as well as a volunteer for the National Association for Chicano Studies Conference. Aguilera was awarded the Emerging Leader Award from the Illinois Latino Council on Higher Education earlier this year. She will be the first member of her family to earn a college degree.

The kind of volunteerism and engagement with Chicago’s neighborhoods that Aguilera exemplifies will be highlighted in June of this year as Chicago hosts the National Conference on Volunteering and Service. To learn more about the Conference, see the official website: www.volunteeringandservice.org