Aaron Cortes
Director, STEAM Pathways, Center for College Access and Success, Northeastern Illinois University
Aaron Cortes serves as the director of the STEAM Pathways at the Center for College Access and Success at Northeastern Illinois University. In this role, he directs the TRIO Upward Bound, TRIO Upward Bound Math and Science, and 21st Century Community of Learning Centers. Cortes is also a computer science department adjunct professor.
Cortes is an advocate of promoting STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) education, international access, and college readiness for low-income and first-generation college and pre-college students. Due to his engagement in college access and success, he has been a two-term president of the Illinois TRIO association, the immediate former president of the Educational Opportunity Association (Midwest), and a board member of the Council for Opportunity on Education.
In addition, Cortes also has engaged in collaborative work with the US Department of Agriculture as a Kika De la Garza fellow and Khan Academy Chicago ambassador. He has served as a STEM panelist for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, as well as a speaker and presenter for the Virtual Educa Latin American conference, member of the educaSTEAM of the Organization of American States, and member of the Pan American Development Foundation. Most recently, Cortes served as a fellow at the Northwestern University Center for Excellence in computer science education.
Published on June 29, 2021