Marvin Fourte and Bianca Huerta are a couple motivated by their care for others and their desire to make a difference in underserved communities. When fulfilling their ambitions required advanced education and world-class resources, the University of Chicago Graduate Student-at-Large (GSAL) program helped them transition into earning graduate degrees: Bianca went on to earn her Master of Social Work at UChicago, and Marvin is currently enrolled in Stanford Law School.
“Over the years, hundreds of scholars have come through GSAL to sharpen their academic focus, immerse themselves in the University of Chicago’s distinctive intellectual culture, and discern the graduate pathway that best aligns with their goals,” said GSAL Program Director Esther Pandian-Riske. “For many, this experience has been pivotal in confirming that UChicago is the community where they want to pursue advanced study.”
Marvin and Bianca’s story illustrates how a thought-provoking and supportive academic environment can propel students toward ambitious goals for doing good in the world.
Inspiration to Excel
Raised on the South Side of Chicago, both Marvin and Bianca were the first generation of their families to earn bachelor’s degrees when they attended Saint Xavier University, a Catholic institution at Chicago’s southern boundary. Bianca double majored in clinical counseling psychology and in Spanish for community and social services. Marvin studied English and then continued on to earn his MBA.
While Marvin pursued a successful career in sales and logistics, Bianca worked in social services and volunteered at nonprofits, helping people living with intellectual and developmental disabilities or experiencing homelessness. Together, the couple spent a pivotal summer in San Francisco in 2018, caring for unhoused people as staff members in the Faithful Fools nonprofit organization.
“I decided I really loved working in the social service field and working with people, so I wanted to challenge myself and go back to school,” Bianca said.
As Bianca set her sights on earning a master’s degree and license in social work, Marvin became interested in studying the law. He felt passionate about making an impact on public policy to help people like those he had seen neglected and mistreated on the streets of San Francisco.
Despite their records of accomplishment as professionals and volunteers, Marvin and Bianca found that their academic records were an obstacle to enrollment at top-tier institutions like UChicago. Law school admissions, in particular, have become increasingly competitive in recent years. They would need to prove they were ready to handle the intellectual challenges and the workload ahead.
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Academic and Professional Growth
Bianca explored possible paths forward in her educational and professional development by attending UChicago information sessions, sometimes with Marvin. At one event, GSAL Program Director Esther Pandian-Riske explained how performing well in rigorous GSAL courses could help students prepare for graduate school and potentially bolster their future applications.
Through those sessions, Marvin and Bianca learned that GSAL students take the same classroom experience as UChicago master’s and doctoral students, earning official grades and transcripts while engaging fully with the University’s intellectual community. Bianca started the GSAL program in Autumn 2019 by taking a social work course. She then applied to the master’s program at the UChicago Crown School of Social Work. After that positive experience, Marvin consulted with Esther about planning his own journey toward the legal profession.
That path began with his application to GSAL and taking his first class in Spring 2021, an introductory logic course that presented crucial concepts and skills for the LSAT, the standardized test used for law school admissions. He continued with a social work course that introduced him to some of the real-world challenges he hoped to confront in his career. Then, he further enhanced his academic credentials by applying and gaining admission to UChicago’s Harris School of Public Policy in Spring 2022 to complete a master’s degree, developing the quantitative analysis skills he needed for success in law school.
“With the right advising and fit, students gain the confidence to stretch themselves academically, forge connections with faculty and classmates, and engage fully in the rigorous intellectual community that has long distinguished the University of Chicago,” Esther said.
Through GSAL, Marvin connected his interests in law and public policy with the real-world issues that he hoped to address in his career. A social work course introduced him to the Smart Decarceration Project, which strives to reduce the U.S. prison population by addressing the legal system’s racial inequities and disparities in access to behavioral health care. A class on human rights presented the fundamental legal issues underpinning debates over immigration and the treatment of marginalized communities.
“Graduate courses can’t replace an undergraduate GPA; it’s kind of set in stone,” Marvin said. “GSAL had more to do with really defining the mission and my ‘why.’”
Mentorship and Community
Personalized engagement and support are essential to the success of GSAL students like Marvin and Bianca. Esther works closely with every participant even before they join the program, matching them with the courses that best align with their goals, and then meeting them for advising at least three times per term. She and others in her office coach students on strategies to meet the immediate challenges of their schoolwork while advancing their long-term objectives.
“We help students—whether they are exploring new directions or seeking to go deeper in their field of study—do their very best in the classroom, earn credits and grades on an official University of Chicago transcript, and then consider which graduate program to pursue,” Esther said. “That transcript is one of the most powerful credentials a university can provide, giving our students the confidence and preparation to take their next step.” Esther said.
UChicago’s faculty members are another crucial resource, guiding students from varied backgrounds to find their academic footing and often providing the recommendations they need to move on to a full graduate program. Marvin received advice and recommendations that he says ultimately helped him gain admission to Stanford Law School.
“I don’t think I received that much academic support anywhere else,” Marvin said.
Marvin and Bianca became members of UChicago’s lively intellectual community by attending the same lectures, participating in the same discussions, and completing the same assignments as any other UChicago student. Their experience is a common one; indeed, over a third of GSAL students enjoy the University’s academic culture so much that they apply to and ultimately enroll in a UChicago graduate degree program.
“You shouldn’t feel like you don’t belong or you’re not capable because that’s really just not the atmosphere of these classes,” Marvin said. “You’re going to be engaged immediately in the material and the substance, and your classmates are going to treat you like a classmate.”
Along with Bianca, Marvin has now relocated to Stanford to start his next adventure as a law student specializing in human rights and immigration. Their time as Graduate Students-at-Large helped opened doors to knowledge and resources, enabling them to make a difference in the communities they care about at a greater scale.
Discover how GSAL can help you take the next step in your academic journey. Explore the GSAL program and connect with our team to start the application process.
