Expanding on our landmark No Barriers, UChicago Promise, and UChicago Empower programs, the UChicago Stand Together Initiative (UST) offers enhanced financial aid and academic advising support for students from historically underrepresented groups and veterans. UST also provides support for and access to virtual college and career advising to mitigate against the dramatically deepening disparities in educational opportunity due to remote learning during the COVID-19 crisis.
The UChicago Stand Together Initiative
UChicago believes equal access to education and career opportunities—regardless of race, class, or cultural background—is critical for creating an equitable society. COVID-19 has deeply exacerbated the underlying inequity in our society. Addressing key societal challenges will require collaboration, coordination, and new partnerships across community-based organizations, institutions of higher education, and corporate America. The University of Chicago is taking action for greater education access and social equality in America with the UChicago Stand Together Initiative. UChicago Stand Together will:
- Establish an early, streamlined college preparation process for Chicago Public Schools students that will both serve as an application to UChicago and a connection to more than 150 top institutions of higher education
- Provide an advising team of over 300 virtual free college counselors and college mentors as well as substantive financial aid advising to allow low-income students and families to make financially-sound enrollment decisions
- Launch new educational and career counseling services for Veterans, including expanded new and expanded partnerships with Warrior-Scholars Project and College Recon
- Expand career programming and opportunities in partnership with leading corporations to accelerate the career success of Black students and other historically underrepresented groups to enhance diversity in the workforce
- Launch a new UChicago Stand Together Scholarship for emerging leaders and scholars involved in, serving, or advancing underrepresented populations
UChicago Stand Together Scholarships
Our Nation needs well-educated leaders from diverse backgrounds who are able to engage difficult and complex issues from a diversity of perspectives. UChicago’s commitment to Free Speech and Open Discourse enables an education that empowers future leaders with knowledge and skills that are critical in challenging times. The new UChicago Stand Together Scholarship seeks to recognize emerging leaders and enhance their UChicago experience and provides $15M in scholarships for emerging student leaders and scholars involved in, serving, or advancing underrepresented populations in higher education, critical academic fields of study, and corporate America.