Hope Chicago is Making News

Group photo of Noble Johnson Class of 2026 student and staff at Hope Chicago Cohort 5 Announcement

Spotlight: More Families Rising Together

Press Release - September 29, 2025

Hope Chicago Extends Groundbreaking Scholarship Program to 700 More South and West Side Families

Additional Features:

CoGenerate Big Ideas Winner - March 10, 2026

CoGenerate and the Stanford Center on Longevity have names Hope Chicago one of six winners of the Big Ideas Challenge to Reimagine Higher Education.

Dr. Aaron Kuecker, new Hope Chicago CEO

Press Release - August 14, 2025

Hope Chicago Names Dr. Aaron Kuecker as Chief Executive Officer

Crain’s Chicago - August 14, 2025

Hope Chicago names next CEO.

Press Release - June 24, 2025

With Four Years of Impact and Counting, Hope Chicago Marks Leadership Transition

Fox 32 Chicago - May 9, 2025

Little Village mother and son celebrate dual milestones this Mother’s Day

Citizen Weekly - May 7, 2025

College Promise Spotlights Hope Chicago for Its Family-Centered Approach to Postsecondary Education and Workforce Development

Matter of Fact TV - January 26, 2025

Hope Chicago Sends Students and Parents to College for Free

Chicago Bears - November 28, 2024

Kyler Gordon supporting Hope Chicago through My Cause My Cleats

WGN-TV “Daytime Chicago” - November 26, 2024

HOPE Chicago: First-Of-Its-Kind Scholarship For Chicago Students And Their Parents

WGN Radio - November 4, 2024

Dr. Jackson Talks Year 3 Impact Report on WGN Radio

Crain’s Chicago Business - October 2024

Hope Chicago CEO Janice Jackson named 2024 Notable Black Leader in Chicago

WGN Radio - September 5, 2024

Hope Chicago wants to narrow the wealth gap by sending students to college debt-free

Chicago Defender - July 10, 2024

Hope Chicago’s GoalGetters Conference 2024 Helps Set Up Local Students and Parents for Post-Secondary Success

Philadelphia Citizen - May 15, 2024

Ideas We Should Steal: Family College Scholarships

Chicago Tribune - May 12, 2024

For these Chicago moms, college scholarships for their kids meant a scholarship for them too: ‘It’s never too late’

CBS2 Chicago (Video) Feb 1, 2024

Chicago Nonprofit Helping Students, Parents Attend College for Free Through Scholarship Program

Hope Chicago’s Media Archive

NOVEMBER 22, 2024: PRESS RELEASE

“Hopecoming” fundraiser reaches $4.85M in support of narrowing the racial wealth gap for Chicago families in a night full of surprises

OCTOBER, 24, 2024: PRESS RELEASE

Hope Chicago Releases New Data on Scholar Performance Demonstrating Increases in Postsecondary Enrollment and Persistence

JANUARY, 18, 2023: PRESS RELEASE

Hope Chicago Expands College Partnership Offerings, Adding Six New Illinois Postsecondary Institutions

DECEMBER, 11, 2023: PRESS RELEASE

Hope Chicago Parent Program Underway with 50+ Families – Parent and Child – Enrolled

Chicago Sun-Times:

Hope Chicago Scholarship Program Pays Off

WBEZ Chicago Reset:

Hope Chicago makes strides in raising college enrollment on South and West sides

MSNBC’s Katie Phang Show:

Retired Millionaire To Send 30,000 Chicago Students To College For Free [Video]

WGN-TV (JUNE 7, 2022)

Hope Chicago Providing Full College Scholarships [Video]

JUNE 6, 2022 PRESS RELEASE:

Hope Chicago Formalizes Partnerships with 23 Illinois Institutions

CBS NEWS: 60 MINUTES

Hope Chicago: Charity sending students from Chicago high schools to college for free (Video)

CBS NEWS: 60 MINUTES OVERTIME

Going to College with a “Hope” Scholarship (Video)

PR NEWSWIRE

Hope Chicago Completes Historic Week Awarding Debt-Free College Scholarships to 4,000 Students at 5 Chicago Public High Schools

CHICAGO TRIBUNE

'This is really the shot in the arm that we needed.’ Five CPS schools partner with Hope Chicago to help send roughly 4,000 students to college debt-free.

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES

Students at 5th city school learn of full-ride scholarship pledge from Hope Chicago

EBONY

New Initiative Gives Chicago Public Schools Hope Through Scholarships

NPR

5 entire high schools in Chicago get full college scholarships

TELEMUNDO

"Van a poder tener el éxito que merecen": Este programa de becas beneficiará a miles de estudiantes latinos... y a sus padres

FOX 32

4,000 Chicago students and parents receive full ride college scholarships

CHICAGO SUN TIMES

Thousands of Juarez High School Students Receive Full College Scholarships

ABC 7

Free college ride awarded to 1,700 Chicago high school students at Benito Juarez in Pilsen

BLOCK CLUB CHICAGO

Every Morgan Park High School Student Can Go To College For Free Thanks To Surprise Scholarship

TELEMUNDO

"Es como un sueño". Estudiantes latinos de Chicago reciben beca para la ir a la universidad

GOOD NEWS NETWORK

Students in Five Chicago High Schools Surprised With Free College Ride–All Expenses Paid–And For Some Parents, Too

NOVEMBER 17, 2022 PRESS RELEASE:

Hope Chicago wins 2022 Chicago Innovation Award

MAY 22, 2023 PRESS RELEASE:

Hope Chicago Releases Report Demonstrating Economic, Social Benefits to Scholars, and City, and State Economies.

WBEZ Chicago:

Father and son are heading to college with a surprise scholarship.

WTTW Chicago Tonight (TV):

CEO Janice Jackson on Creating Equitable Access to College

CNN This Morning:

CEO Dr. Janice K. Jackson on SCOTUS Affirmative Action Decision

BLOCK CLUB CHICAGO

All Noble Johnson College Prep Students, And Some Of Their Parents, Will Receive Full Rides To College

CHALKBEAT CHICAGO

In Chicago, free college for 4,000 students and their parents: ‘This means so much’

WTTW

Janice Jackson Named CEO of HOPE Chicago, Nonprofit Seeking to Provide $1B in Scholarships

YAHOO FINANCE

BMO Financial Group Announces $1 Million Donation to Hope Chicago

CHICAGO TRIBUNE

New college scholarship program led by former CPS CEO will offer students and their parents full tuition, housing and food assistance

CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS

New Nonprofit Led by Former CPS Chief Taps Businesses for College Scholarships

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