By Cheryl Hyman
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I grew up in public housing on Chicago’s West Side. My parents used to struggle with addiction. My lowest point came when, at 17, I dropped out of high school. I could have found a lot of excuses for failing to reach my potential. I didn’t choose the best path – at first. But it didn’t take long for me to realize that I wanted a different life, and that I needed an education to get it. I returned to high school, graduated, and set a goal of launching a career around my passion for technology. I entered a short-term training program. But after a few months, with glossy certificates in hand but few relevant skills, the school closed and I was without a marketable credential and substantial student debt. I learned painfully that there are no short cuts in life.