2024-25 UChicago Obama Foundation Scholars Program Includes 18 Emerging Leaders
Meet the Six Scholars from the Crown Family School
Six Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice students were selected to be in the newest cohort of the Obama Foundation Scholars program. The 2024-25 cohort, announced on Sept. 5, comprises 30 students chosen from a record-sized global applicant pool. The newest group of Scholars includes University of Chicago students from the Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice, the Booth School of Business, and the Harris School of Public Policy and from Columbia University.
The Obama Foundation Scholars program provides scholars with exposure to real-world skills, tools, and experiences that will expand the impact of their work when they return home, though 10 of 18 UChicago scholars have committed to continuing their work in Chicago.
“The University of Chicago Obama Foundation Scholars Program fosters intense learning experiences for students as they learn to tackle complex problems and more deeply engage with communities in Chicago and across the globe,” said University of Chicago President Paul Alivisatos. “It helps these rising leaders build upon the education and skills they receive in their respective graduate programs at the University to make an impact in the areas they identify in order to be of service to communities across the world.
(Photo courtesy of the Obama Foundation)
The Crown Family School Scholars are driven by professional goals to expand access and opportunities across diverse areas. These include broadening access to higher education through sports, enhancing mental health care in Chicago, providing out-of-school care for children in Illinois, developing peer-mentoring programs for neurodiverse youth, preparing young people to emerge as influential leaders in their communities, and fostering meaningful, mutually beneficial relationships that offer vital support.
The Scholars program started in 2018, and it provides opportunities for students to participate in academic, skills-based, and experiential learning. It also includes Foundation-led leadership programming that includes training, networking opportunities, and personalized support beyond graduation.
—Adapted from a story that was first published on the UChicago News website.