Elevating Futures Scholarship Fund Application - 2020-2021

***PLEASE NOTE:  THIS  APPLICATION IS FROM 2020-2021 AND IS CURRENTLY CLOSED ***

The Walsh-Fluor Design Build Team (WFDBT) has been selected by the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) to design and build Phase One of the Red and Purple Modernization project (RPM).  The WFDBT recognizes that numerous socio-economic barriers too often prevent community residents from entering various career paths, especially career paths in the construction/trade industry.  In response, Walsh-Fluor has established The Elevating Futures Scholarship Fund. 

It is the mission of the Elevating Futures Scholarship Fund to aid qualified Chicago Public School students seeking assistance with the costs of their post-secondary education.  The fund will provide college scholarships and mentoring supports, along with access to career development opportunities, to guide students in launching careers in the construction and engineering industries. 

The scholarship program will be administered by Chicago Scholars, a mentoring and leadership development organization that helps first-generation college students and students from under-resourced communities navigate transitions into college, through college, and on to careers.  Eligible students must be enrolled in a CPS or CPS-supported high school and currently an active participant in the Chicago Scholars program.  Eligible students must also be enrolled in STEM coursework, have an unweighted GPA of at least 3.0, and a good attendance record.
The Application Process
ELIGIBILITY and REQUIREMENTS
  • Currently attending a CPS high school or charter school supported by CPS for two consecutive years or more
  • Participant in the Chicago Scholars program
  • Graduating Senior with an unweighted GPA of 3.0 or higher
  • Have taken or be enrolled in at least 2 courses in either Construction-Related Courses, Architecture, Pre-Engineering, Business, or STEM.  Planning to pursue similar field of study in college.
  • School attendance rate of 85% or higher
  • From a low-income household as determined by HUD standards

AWARD
  • $5,500/year for 4 years

APPLICATION PROCESS

Complete the attached application by March 1, 2021 including:
  • General background information
  • High school transcript (including 1st semester senior grades) 
  • Essay of no more than 750 words explaining why you are applying for the scholarship and how the funds will help you achieve your goals for the future
  • At least 2 but no more than 4 letter(s) of recommendation from the student's counselor, principal, teacher, mentor, or current employer

INTERVIEW PROCESS

Applicants will be selected for an interview in order to be considered for the scholarship.  The interviews will be held in March 2021.  Students will be asked to share their goals for the future and how this scholarship will allow them to achieve these goals.


SELECTION

Students selected for the scholarship will be notified via email with a copy going to the student's high school.  Students will be expected to attend a scholarship gathering to celebrate this award in early May 2021.

Before you begin the application:

 

Please ensure that you have all of the following materials available to you and ready to upload.  You will NOT be able to save and resume your work on the application, so you will need to submit in one sitting.

 

  • Transcript (including first-semester senior year grades)
  • At least two letters of recommendation from a counselor, principal, teacher, mentor, or employer
  • Your household’s gross income for 2020 (you will not be asked to submit tax documents, but you should use them as reference)
  • An essay (of 750 words or less) articulating why you are applying for the Elevating Futures Scholarship and how the funds will help you achieve your goals for the future.  Please review the scholarship fund's mission, stated in the introduction above, before developing your response.

General Background Information















Please use your parent and/or guardians' tax documents to help you. The total gross income is the amount of money earned by a person in one year from all sources before taxes. Add these amounts for all individuals living within the household.

School and Program Information









Your counselor must be able to verify this information.

Check all that apply (hold Ctr + click to select multiple options).

Check all that apply (hold Ctr + click to select multiple options).





Check all that apply.

Student Essay

The Elevating Futures Scholarship Fund's mission is to aid qualified Chicago Public School students from low-income households in pursuing a Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) four-year college degree.  The fund will provide college scholarships and mentoring supports, along with access to career development opportunities, to guide students in launching careers in the construction and engineering industries.

In 750 words or less, share why you are applying for the scholarship and how the funds will help you achieve your goals for the future.  Please consider the scholarship's mission when developing your response.  

Required Documents

Upload your transcript and letters of recommendation below. 
  • Reminder: You must share your 1st semester senior grades with this transcript.
  • The letters of recommendation can come from a counselor, principal, teacher, mentor, or employer.  
  • If your recommenders would feel more comfortable emailing their letters directly to Chicago Scholars, they may email them to Megan Kerber at mkerber@chicagoscholars.org with the subject line:  "Elevating Futures recommendation--[applicant name]."  In this case, the applicant must upload a document in the space below stating:  "My letter of recommendation is being emailed to Megan Kerber from [recommender name]."





Signature Page




Contact Information