Close to 300 students from across the Chicago area were inspired by Ernesto Mejia, the co-founder of CoolSpeak, on Thursday, Oct. 6 at Lewis University’s seventh annual Si Se Puede Conference where Mejia served as the keynote speaker. The conference included workshops on choosing a college, navigating the financial aid process and motivating students to reach their fullest potential.

Mejia shared how he is the proud son of Mexican immigrants and a true example of the American dream. As a Latino, Mejia learned to navigate two entirely different worlds and live in two completely different cultures. Although he faced many obstacles along the way, he never gave up and refused to become a part of another statistic. Hard work and never giving up led him to eventually go on to pursue his Lewis University Master’s Degree in Organizational Leadership with a focus in Higher Education. High schools in attendance included: De La Salle Institute – Chicago, Joliet Central High School – Joliet, East Aurora High School – Aurora, Kankakee High School – Kankakee, Maria High School – Chicago, San Miguel Schools Chicago, St. Rita of Cascia High School – Chicago, Thomas Kelly High School – Chicago and Thorton Township High School – Harvey. Visit www.lewisu.edu for further information.