George M. Pullman Educational Foundation Announces $1 Million in Scholarships and Education Supports for 2017-2018 Pullman Scholar Cohort
The George M. Pullman Educational Foundation is pleased to announce its commitment to investing $1 million in scholarships and education supports for college-bound Chicago-area students for the 2017-2018 academic year. Three 2017 high school graduates from Wheeling, Rosemont, and Palatine received George M. Pullman Educational Foundation Scholarships and are now first-year students at the college of their choice.
Rooted in Chicago since 1950, the George M. Pullman Educational Foundation is a private operating foundation that has invested more than $33 million in Chicago-area students who aspire to earn a college degree. The Foundation helps change the trajectory of young peoples' lives each year by providing merit-based, need-based scholarships of up to $10,000 per year, renewable for up to four years. Along with scholarships, the Foundation also offers scholars educational support and access to a wide network of more than 14,000 Pullman Scholar Alumni ready to help current scholars in their college journey and beyond.
“The Pullman Foundation has a rich history of supporting the brightest young people from diverse communities in the Chicago-area,” says Robin Redmond, executive director of the Foundation. “We see first-hand how earning a college degree positively affects our scholars, their families, and even their communities. It's a ripple effect that continues for decades.”
Approximately 700 young people applied to become Pullman Scholars this year. The highly competitive selection process requires applicants to have minimum 3.0 GPA and demonstrate strong leadership skills and community involvement.
The 2017-2018 Pullman Scholar Cohort consists of 132 Pullman Scholars who are attending 54 different colleges across the nation, such as Howard University, Illinois University at Urbana-Champaign, Yale University, and Stanford University. The 68th Class of Pullman scholars were selected in May and are pursuing degrees at 17 different colleges in some of the most in-demand fields, including engineering, international policy, and medicine.
The Foundation's scholarship application opens in early November 2017 and will be available online until February 2018. Candidates interested in learning more about eligibility and the application process should visit www.pullmanfoundation.org/apply.
Newest Pullman Foundation Scholars from Wheeling, Rosemont, and Palatine:
Ayana Blair, graduate of Wheeling High School, Illinois Wesleyan University
Nathaniel Rodriguez, graduate of Maine Township High School District 207 West, Washington University in St. Louis
Austin Schelfhout, graduate of William Fremd High School, Bradley University
About the George M. Pullman Educational Foundation
Endowed by railroad magnate George Pullman, the George M. Pullman Educational Foundation has been keeping the American Dream of education on track for Chicago-area students since 1950. As one of the oldest scholarship foundations in the country, the Pullman Foundation has ensured access to higher education by awarding nearly $33 million in scholarships to more than 14,000 high-achieving students with financial need.