Pay it Forward
From Decision Day to every day, many Chicago Scholars Alumni know that one unexpected setback can derail a college journey. Scholar Dollars provides emergency aid, grants to support unpaid internships and study abroad, and scholarships when Scholars need them most. By building a permanent endowment, Alumni pay it forward to ensure that a setback never stands between a Scholar and their degree.
small donations. big impact.
Curtis Johnson, Class of 2023
“Without the Educational and Leadership Development Grant (ELD) and Scholar Dollars, I wouldn’t have been able to afford housing in New Jersey while I completed my internship at RBC. It was because of the grant that I not only completed my internship, I was also able to earn enough money during my internship to help support my family. I wouldn’t have been able to spare the $3-4k that enabled my family to move into an apartment, nor would I have had the money to get back home when my mother and nephew got into a car crash.
Without the grant, I would have had to choose between my future and my family.”
Samantha Reyes, Class of 2024
“Being abroad created connections and rich experiences I was able to bring to internships and application processes that wouldn’t have been possible without support from the Educational and Leadership Development Grant and Scholar Dollars. It was an experience that truly changed my life and put me one step closer to my dream.”
Meet our donors
Kevin Banks, Jr., Class of 2018
Martrice Caldwell, Class of 2004
