By Iya Bakare –

She sits on a grape purple velvet couch blanketed with notebooks, papers and her human resource management textbooks at Starbuck’s as she studies for her upcoming midterm.

Sandra Guajardo, known as Sandy to most, is pursuing her bachelor’s degree in business administration at Roosevelt University in Chicago.

Guajardo, 47, is one of a growing number of Latinos are going  back to college at an older age.

She is among the seven percent of Latinos over the age of 24 attending college to attain a bachelor’s degree, according to the Pew Hispanic Center. In the late 1990s, about 15.4 million people attended colleges and universities in the United States. Hispanics represented the third largest group with 1.3 million enrolled in college.

Guajardo is studying human resources and management policies, which she said will help her advance her skills in her current occupation.

“It’s important for me to feel accomplished, no matter how long it takes for me to finish,” said Guajardo, who works full-time as a service manager at a Harris Bank and part-time at The Container Store as a sales associate.

Although the harsh winters of the Windy City ail her prematurely arthritic bones, Guajardo keeps moving. As a nine-year professional at the bank and an 11-year veteran at a retail store, Guajardo is no stranger to hard work. A second mother to her six nieces and nephews serves as her other role.

“I didn’t have much of a childhood—like going outside to jump rope or to ride my bike,” Guajardo admits. “I was babysitting my siblings and others at the age of 12.”

In high school, Guajardo worked two part-time jobs: at a bank and at Woolworth’s, a local drug store.

The eldest of five, Guajardo grew up as a second mother to her brother and sisters in a Spanish-only speaking household. Her parents, Angel and Teresa, migrated from Mexico but met each other in Chicago.

Guajardo’s mother eventually learned English and worked, but not without struggles.

“When I was younger, there were not many Latino grocery stores on the North Side of Chicago,” Guajardo said. “I remember my mom going to the grocery store and often coming home with the wrong foods because she couldn’t understand what she was putting in her grocery cart.”

Guajardo recalled serving as translator for her parents growing up when they handled transactions at the bank, filled out paperwork at the hospital and helped her father file unemployment when he was laid off.

“I thank my family for that because it forced me to remember who I was,” Guajardo said. “Today there are so many Latinos who don’t speak the language and struggle with their identity because of it.”

Guajardo’s mother also endured hardships at her job when she worked for a toy factory in Skokie. Employers informed her that the Skokie location would close and Teresa could relocate to Chicago, but had to reapply with a beginner’s salary. Although she struggled with the language barrier, Teresa knew her rights, hired an attorney and organized a mini-protest for her rights and the rights of other workers.

“I can remember my mother never called off sick from work,” Guajardo said.

Guajardo’s mother and aunt were two of 18 children in their family. That same aunt also bore 18 children, all of whom joined the military and earned college degrees.

“They all worked in the fields in Texas during their summer breaks, which is how I think they also learned the value of hard work,” said Guajardo with a chuckle.

Guajardo is also known for her hard work by those who spend the most time with her besides her family: her co-workers.

“Sandy is a caring and considerate person who has a very strong work ethic,” said Mary McCoy, a Container Store co-worker.

In the three years she has known Guajardo, McCoy said Guajardo always gives 100 percent to her job and never waits for people to ask her to do anything.

“Sandy is a very hard-working individual who is dedicated to everything she does, and she always gives it 110 percent,” said Maritza Berecz, Guajardo’s employer at Harris Bank.

Guajardo openly admits her Mexican heritage used to confuse some people. Some people thought she was Italian. Guajardo recalls when very few Hispanics worked in banks in Chicago during the 1980s, and a Latino customer needed a translator because he didn’t speak English.

“My co-workers were looking for a translator and I told them I could translate for him,” said Guajardo. “They said, ‘You speak Spanish?’ and I said, ‘Yeah, I am Mexican, I just don’t speak Spanish because there’s no one here that I can speak to.’ ”

Although she said she never expected to attend college after high school, Guajardo feels obligated to keep her promise to her siblings to earn her degree.

“They are my other reason for going back to school,” Guajardo said. “They have all earned theirs, so they’re like, ‘Okay Sandy, we’re waiting on you.’”