Elmhurst University Visit Gives Youth Look at College Life

July 15, 2025

The thought of going to college can feel overwhelming, confusing, and even intimidating for many high school students. That’s why Mercy Home Board member Joe Nolan and his wife Janet helped launch the Dream! Believe! Achieve! program, which exposes our young people to the college experience by taking them on visits to schools throughout the country. These trips are vital in inspiring children to pursue higher education.

One of our oldest and closest partners in the program is Elmhurst University, located in Chicago’s western suburbs. Mercy Home enjoys a strong relationship with the university thanks in part to the support and advocacy of Elmhurst English professor and Leader Council member Mary Kay Mulvaney.

“[The Elmhurst University visit] gets them in front of college professors, where they go through four classes,” said Mercy Home’s Director of Education Resources Sergio Rodriguez. “We want them to say college is fun and it’s possible for them.”

Christian Barren, Elmhurst senior first-year admission counselor, spoke to our youth about the admissions process. Our youth learned about the academic requirements of the university, the different majors offered, campus life, housing, financial aid, the Mercy Home United Scholarship program, and lots more.

“We have them meet with their admissions team, so they know what to start focusing on their freshman year [of high school],” Rodriguez said. “They’re able to start thinking ‘hey, freshman year is important, I can’t fall behind, I have to get good grades.’”

During their visit, the youth sat in a typical college classroom and were taught by Elmhurst University professors.

In one of the activities, our kids learned how to create soap from scratch to demonstrate the importance of using soap to fight infectious diseases. Participants were able to choose their own shapes, essential oils, and fragrances for their soaps.

In the writing activity, taught by Dr. Jeanne White and Dr. Janice Tuck Lively, youth created their own superhero with and used them to learn about structuring a story. Dr. Lively enjoyed hearing the youth describe the characteristics of their superheroes.

“We so much enjoy seeing creativity once we can tap into it [from the youth], the things that began to come out of them. It’s the idea of seeing them begin to create,” said Tuck Lively. “The moments of discovery, them even discovering things about themselves and their peers. That’s the most exciting thing for me.

Dr. White enjoyed guiding our youth through their creative process.

“I think they can step outside their lives if they need to and be creative and put down whatever they want to put down on their paper and we’ll help them go with it,” said White.

Mercy Home youth Jeremiah has been on a college campus before, but this was a unique and fun experience for him.

“It was [great] meeting the professors and [playing] games in the classroom,” he said.

In music class, the young people learned how to use GarageBand software to make beats. They were allowed to choose from different instruments, styles, and more to create their own song. After the tutorial, they made their own music, and shared it with peers.

In drama class, our youth played fun improv games, like zip, zap, zop and tongue twister relays, and learned important communication skills like making eye contact, developing their own voice, observing and listening, collaboration, and more.

Xailani, another Mercy Home youth, had a fun experience on her visit, and loved playing the different games and activities.

“I felt very inspired [on the visit],” she said.

This visit helped our kids envision themselves living and learning on a college campus, learn new skills and information to better their lives, and pursue their academic dreams.

“We want them to see that college is a fun time and it’s possible for them,” Rodriguez said.

A big thank you to our friends at Elmhurst University for hosting our young people again this year and giving them an amazing experience!