Hope Chicago is launching a program to support the parents/guardians of Hope Scholars through postsecondary education pathways, thereby reducing economic and social inequity.
The Parent Scholar Program includes debt-free higher education options for more than 4,000 Chicago students and their parents. Parents/guardians will get the chance to complete college degrees, build work skills, or pursue a new career.
"There's plenty of literature out there on how to get an 18-year-old through four years of college," said Michele Howard, chief program officer for Hope Chicago. "A two-generation program model supporting adults entering or returning to postsecondary institutions or programs at this scale? That's a new frontier. That's why partnerships with community-based organizations like the Chicago Urban League and Instituto del Progreso Latino are critical to our mission's success. They know our parents and what they need to accomplish their goals."
Parents/guardians of current and future Hope Scholars from the classes of 2022 -2025 can participate, with entry and eligibility hinging on academic progress and continued enrollment of the Hope Scholar.
According to Urban Institute, 18% of Chicago residents, 25 and older, have some college education but no degree. 45% of those Chicago adults with some college education but no degree identifies as Black, 28% as white, and 22% as Spanish, Hispanic, or Latino.
