Five City Colleges of Chicago alumni join the 2024-2026 cohort of the Obama Foundation Voyagers. These alumni are among 94 recipients of the Obama-Chesky Scholarship for Public Service from all over the United States. This recognition not only highlights their dedication to community service but also provides them with vital resources to further their careers in public service. The Obama-Chesky Scholarship for Public Service supports students with a proven track record of community service and a passion for helping others. To help them continue their work, recipients receive up to $50,000 in tuition assistance over two years, a $10,000 stipend for a Summer Voyage, $4,200 in Airbnb travel credits for their summer work-travel experience, and an additional $20,000 in Airbnb travel credits to be used over the next decade. This scholarship aims to alleviate the financial burden of a college education to allow students to focus on their commitment to public service. In addition to financial aid, the Voyager Scholarship Program provides students with the tools and opportunities to develop their leadership skills. Through immersive work-travel experiences, monthly meetings, individual coaching, and access to a network of leaders and mentors, the program is designed to empower the next generation of leaders. After graduation, students will join the Obama Foundation’s global community, gaining access to Foundation resources and programming. The selection of these five City Colleges of Chicago alumni as Obama Foundation Voyagers is a testament to their dedication to public service as well as the impact they made at City Colleges, their transfer institutions, and the communities where they live and work.

City Colleges of Chicago Foundation Board Welcomes Four New Members   The City Colleges of Chicago Foundation announces the addition of four new members to its esteemed Board of Directors.  Melissa Flores, Jonathan Glover, Quintin Williams, Ph.D., and Darlene Oliver Hightower, J.D. bring diverse expertise and a shared commitment to the Foundation’s mission of supporting City Colleges of Chicago students.   The new officers join the following current board members, including Monica Bibbs, who was recently appointed secretary:  Gary L. Rozier, Chair  Nicole Johnson-Scales, Vice Chair  Maribel Rodriguez, Treasurer  Monica Bibbs, Secretary  William Lowry, Sr., Chair Emeritus  Norma Manjarrez  Chancellor Juan Salgado  Darrell A. Williams  We are so pleased to welcome our newest Board members.  As our reach grows, this strong and passionate team will help us to ensure the greatest possible impact on our students,” said City Colleges of Chicago Board President Veronica Herrero.   New Board Members:  Melissa Flores  Melissa Flores oversees the Chicago engagement strategy on the Global Public Policy and Government Relations team at McDonald’s headquarters. She also serves as an independent, part-time organizational development consultant and executive coach to nonprofits in Chicago. Ms. Flores is chapter lead for the Harvard Latino Alumni Alliance (HLAA) in Chicago, serves as an Alumni Ambassador for the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and is a mentor to the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network of Chicago Fellowship. Born and raised in Chicago and the daughter of Mexican immigrants, she has dedicated her career to advocate for equity and improve the educational and economic outcomes of children and families. Ms. Flores holds a B.A. in English Professional Writing from Mount Mary College; an Ed.M. in Education from Harvard University; and an M.A. in Chicana/o Studies from the University of California, Santa Barbara.   Jonathan Glover   Jonathan Glover is Senior Client Advisor at Northern Trust Wealth Management where he collaborates with clients and their advisors to offer holistic wealth management services for individuals and families, privately held businesses, family offices, and foundations and endowments. Before arriving at Northern Trust, he held various leadership positions at BNY Mellon and U.S. Bank. Mr. Glover is a Chicago Urban League IMPACT Leadership Development Fellow. He serves his community in various capacities, including as a volunteer attorney at Legal Aid Chicago and as a member of the Ambassadors Board. Mr. Glover holds a B.S. in Finance, and a J.D. in Business and Commercial Law from New England Law|Boston. Darlene Oliver Hightower, J. D.  Darlene Oliver Hightower, J. D. serves as designee for Katya Nuques, Chair of the City Colleges of Chicago Board of Trustees. Ms. Hightower is the President & CEO of the Metropolitan Planning Council (MPC), where she leads the organization’s strategic vision to address built environment issues through the lens of racial and economic justice. Previously, she served as VP of Community Health Equity at Rush University Medical Center and led the development of West Side United. A recognized leader, she is a Leadership Greater Chicago Daniel Burnham Fellow, a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Fellow, and a Civic Leadership Academy Fellow, and serves on several boards, including the ACLU of Illinois.  Quintin Williams, Ph.D.  Dr. Quintin Williams is the program officer for the Gun Violence Prevention and Justice Reform initiatives at the Joyce Foundation, addressing racial equity, reentry for formerly incarcerated citizens, and police reforms. Dr. Williams has more than a decade of experience as a criminal justice reform policy advocate, researcher, coalition builder, manager of reform campaigns, and community organizer. Dr. Williams previously worked at Heartland Alliance where he led that organization’s Fully Free Campaign, and worked on state level reforms that would end “permanent punishments” and restore rights to people with criminal records. Dr. Williams holds a bachelor’s degree from Concordia University, and master’s and doctoral degrees in sociology from Loyola University. His dissertation examined how housing insecurity affects formerly incarcerated people reentering society. 

Truman College has received a $900,000 grant from The McCormick Foundation to help support the launch of the city-wide Education Workforce Center (EWC). The EWC will serve as a “one-stop shop,” providing academic support, mentorship, community, professional development, and emotional support to the Truman College community and alumni, community members, and other early childhood education professionals and practitioners—no matter where they are on their career journey.  The EWC is slated to launch in the Fall 2024 semester. 

With the support of a City Colleges of Chicago Foundation scholarship, recent Wright College graduate Praise Daniels is one step closer to earning a four-year degree in engineering.   At an end-of-year engineering program celebration on May 10, Praise was selected as the spring 2024 TCP-CTA Transfer Scholarship winner, which is managed by the City Colleges of Chicago Foundation and made possible by sponsors Transit Capital Partners and the Chicago Transit Authority.   “This scholarship will really help me with tuition and rent as I transfer… I am extremely grateful for this opportunity,” he said.   Praise will participate in an internship with the Chicago Quantum Exchange this summer before he transfers to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s Grainger School of Engineering in the fall.  To help us celebrate the Class of ’24, consider donating to the City Colleges of Chicago Foundation and supporting students like Praise with scholarships that fuel their future. Visit www.ccc.edu/24 to get started. 

The PepsiCo Foundation announces the fourth class of PepsiCo Foundation S.M.I.L.E. (Success Matters in Life and Education) Scholarship recipients, including 10 City Colleges students. The S.M.I.L.E. scholarship program is designed to support students as they transition from community colleges to four-year universities, empowering them to achieve their academic and professional goals. Since 2021, the PepsiCo Foundation has awarded this transformational scholarship to 25 City Colleges students, recognizing their strong academic records, demonstrated leadership, and future goals. This year, after four years of strong partnership, the PepsiCo Foundation increased the number of City Colleges recipients from five to ten. These ten City Colleges S.M.I.L.E. Scholars will receive up to $25,000 a year for a maximum of two years (totaling up to $50,000) from the PepsiCo Foundation. Scholars also receive access to mentors, financial wellness training, skill development workshops, and more. This year’s recipients are: Mariam S. Adegbite – University of Illinois at Chicago, Human Resources Management Ameena A. Adeyemo – University of Illinois at Chicago, Computer Science and Programming Edgar Brizuela – University of Illinois at Chicago, Computer Science and Programming Kels Cavin – Illinois Institute of Technology, Computer Science and Programming Vanessa Gama – University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Chemical Engineering Julia D. Harper – University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Computer and Information Sciences Ruby Jimenez – Loyola University Chicago, Chemistry Jacob V. Morales – City Colleges of Chicago: Olive-Harvey College, Business Administration Brenda Najjuma – University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Computer Engineering Ariba Vohra – University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Accounting Since 2020, the PepsiCo Foundation has awarded nearly 2,800 scholarships. More than 90% of recipients are on track to graduate or have already graduated. About the PepsiCo Foundation   The PepsiCo Foundation, the philanthropic arm of PepsiCo, invests in the essential elements of a sustainable food system with a mission to support thriving communities. Working with non-profits and experts around the globe, we’re focused on helping communities obtain access to food security, safe water and economic opportunity. We strive for tangible impact in the places where we live and work—collaborating with industry peers, local and international organizations, and our employees to affect large-scale change on the issues that matter to us and are of global importance. Learn more at www.pepsicofoundation.com.

A group of student leaders from across City Colleges of Chicago is returning to Chicago with a new outlook on the civil rights movement. The 16 students, which included several from the Timuel D. Black Jr. Scholarship & Fellowship (TBSF) program, along with Student Government Association members and student ambassadors, traveled to Alabama for a four-day tour of historic civil rights sites in Birmingham, Montgomery, and Selma. From Friday, May 17 through Monday, May 20, the students visited several museums and landmarks, from the National Memorial for Peace and Justice to the Edmund Pettus Bridge. For many, it was their first time experiencing the history they’ve learned about in textbooks in a tangible way. “I first learned about the 16th Street Baptist Church in fifth grade, and it was amazing to see it [in person], said Angelynn Jimenez, a TBSF program participant. Angelynn recently graduated from Wright College and plans to pursue a bachelor’s degree in political science so she can go into public policy. “You have to learn about the civil rights movement…,” she said. “It’s important to understand what people fought for and how people are still fighting today for their rights.” Beyond what the students already knew and learned during the trip, touring the historic sites inspired many to want to learn even more. “Coming on this trip made me realize that I want to learn more about the civil rights movement. I want to be able to teach others more, too,” said Adedoyin Adekanmbi, another TBSF student who recently graduated. While Adedoyin studied cybersecurity at Olive-Harvey College, she still plans to use what she’s learned about civil rights in her future career—a common goal among several of the students. James Wolf, who will serve as the vice president of Truman College’s Student Government Association during the upcoming school year, plans to pursue a career as a lawyer. He agreed that the trip was eye-opening. “If you really want to make a change in this country—which I certainly do—you need to look into the actual lived experiences of this nation,” he said. “It’s not something you can read about and understand… You have to be in this place where it all happened to feel it. There’s really nothing like walking across the [Edmund Pettus] bridge, feeling the heat on you, and knowing this is something that happened in many Americans’ lifetimes.” View photos from the trip below.

The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation has announced the 2024 recipients of its Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship, and three of the four awardees from Illinois are City Colleges of Chicago students. Yehuda Goldbloom (right in the photo featured above) and Juan Munoz (left), both engineering students at Wilbur Wright College, as well as a third recipient from Harold Washington College, have been selected for the prestigious transfer award, which supports community college graduates as they pursue their bachelor’s degrees. In total, 60 students received the Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship this year. The three students from City Colleges were selected from a pool of nearly 1,700 applications from over 380 community colleges. The award provides up to $55,000 per year to help students pay for their tuition, living expenses, books, and other fees at a four-year college or university. With the scholarship, Yehuda and Juan both plan to transfer to the Grainger College of Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign to pursue their bachelor’s degrees. Juan, who also received the Star Scholarship to cover the costs of his associate degree at City Colleges, says receiving the award means “everything” to him and his family. He plans to study mechanical engineering and hopes to work at a robotics company after he graduates. “For me, this scholarship means a worry-free education,” Juan said. “It means I don’t need to stress over financials, especially as an undocumented student. Being able to finance my own education through scholarships is something I’m really grateful for.” Yehuda, who served as the student trustee at City Colleges for the 2023-24 academic year, agrees. He plans to study environmental engineering at UIUC with a focus on One Water, a holistic approach to water management. “The Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship is a huge affirmation of the effort I’ve put in and a ticket to a life I couldn’t have previously imagined for myself,” Yehuda said. “More importantly, it’s a call to action. I have big dreams, and with the support of the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation, my focus is now on turning them into reality.” Both students participated in the Engineering and Computer Science program at Wright College, a unique cohort model that prepares students to transfer to prestigious engineering schools in Illinois and across the country. “Community college students remain far too underrepresented at our nation’s top institutions, despite clear research demonstrating their success once they arrive. Our scholarship is one way we aim to ensure that high-achieving students have the opportunity to complete their degree where they want, regardless of their financial background,” said Seppy Basili, executive director of the Cooke Foundation. To learn more about this year’s cohort of Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholars, click here.

The City Colleges of Chicago Foundation (CCCF) is celebrating and recognizing the outstanding achievements of graduates from City Colleges of Chicago. Among them, four valedictorians and salutatorians were supported by a City Colleges of Chicago Foundation (CCCF) scholarship. Their dedication and hard work propelled them to graduate at the top of their class. The City Colleges of Chicago Foundation provides scholarships to support students pursuing a certificate or degree at City Colleges of Chicago. With a CCCF scholarship, students who might struggle with tuition can focus on their classes and continue to work toward their academic goals. “The scholarship provided me with a lifeline. It relieved the financial burden, allowing me to breathe a little easier and focus more on my studies without the constant weight of debt looming overhead. It was a pivotal moment where I regained a sense of direction and hope for the future,” said Adam Moine, Salutatorian Class of 2024, Wright College. As we continue to celebrate these exceptional students, we also celebrate our donors and supporters who’s generosity has made CCCF scholarships possible. Together we are empowering City College students and paving the way for every student to succeed regardless of their financial barriers. To learn more or donate, visit www.ccc.edu/foundation.

City Colleges of Chicago, LevelUp, Achieving the Dream (ATD), and the University of Chicago Inclusive Economy Lab (IEL) came together with leaders in higher education to understand barriers to Black learner post-secondary access and success, strengthen understanding of national data, amplify emerging best practices, and build a community to support Black learner excellence.  “Today is an opportunity to explore how each of us can best support Black students,” said City Colleges Chancellor Juan Salgado. “While there is good work happening, there is much more to do. Black student success is central to our mission at City Colleges. If we truly want to have a city that takes pride in its ability to have racial equity and opportunity in our city, Black learner excellence is central, and City Colleges is central to getting us there.”   The day-long summit was packed with data-focused disruptors, all focused on Black learner outcomes, including Dr. Karen Stout of Achieving the Dream, Dr. Keith Curry from LevelUp, Dr. Brandon Nichols from Olive-Harvey College, Dr. Kafi Moragne-Patterson, Courtney Washington, and Carmelo Barbaro from UChicago’s Inclusive Economy Lab, Dominique “Dom” McKoy from University of Chicago’s To & Through Project, President Z. Scott from Chicago State University, Dr. Kimberly Hollingsworth from Olive-Harvey College, Dr. Shawn Jackson from Harry S Truman College, President David Sanders from Malcolm X College, Dr. Katonja Webb Walker from Kennedy-King College, and Dr. Aarti Dhupelia from City Colleges of Chicago.   City Colleges of Chicago Executive Vice Chancellor-Chief Student Experience Officer Aarti Dhupelia closed the summit with some actionable takeaways, saying, “There are proof points of what works. We prioritize Black learner excellence in budgets, we honor student voices and experience as we set priorities, we build relationships and a culture of care for our students.”  This inaugural Black Learner Excellence Summit was presented by Achieving the Dream, The UChicago Inclusive Economy Lab, The Joyce Foundation, The ECMC Foundation, HCM Strategists, Equity Avengers, and Level Up. 

As we look forward to celebrating the accomplishments of our Class of 2024 associate degree earners at Wintrust Arena on May 4, City Colleges of Chicago is proud to recognize a special group of graduates—a valedictorian and salutatorian from each of our seven colleges.  Each student has their own unique story and pathway, but all of this year’s valedictorians and salutatorians exemplify academic excellence, determination, and perseverance. Watch the video below to “meet” this year’s top students or visit graduation.ccc.edu/vals-sals/ to read more about their stories. [embedded content] Support from the City Colleges of Chicago Foundation helped some of this year’s valedictorians and salutatorians—and so many others—complete their studies. “The scholarship support provided me with a lifeline. It relieved the financial burden, allowing me to breathe a little easier and focus more on my studies without the constant weight of debt looming overhead. It was a pivotal moment where I regained a sense of direction and hope for the future.” Adam Moine,Wright College salutatorian Adam is transferring to UIUC’s Grainger College of Engineering to pursue a bachelor’s degree this fall through Wright’s guaranteed admission transfer pathway. To empower City Colleges students like Adam with scholarships that fuel their future, visit www.ccc.edu/waystogive.