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Foundation Spotlight: THE ARTHUR FOUNDATION
Full Scholarships Support Hispanic Teacher Candidates in Berwyn/Cicero-area Schools
Through the generous support of The Arthur Foundation over the past two years, UIC's College of Education has been able to offer four-year scholarships to nine local Hispanic students who are pursuing undergraduate degrees in education.
The Arthur Foundation—UIC Scholars program creates a pipeline of highly qualified teachers between UIC's College of Education and the Berwyn/Cicero community. The program is specifically intended to attract high school students of Hispanic heritage who currently live in Pilsen, Little Village, Berwyn or Cicero, to support community-based teacher development.
"We want to make sure that the education of the children in this area is exceptional," said Tom Hett, director of programs at The Arthur Foundation, which partnered with UIC because of its expertise in urban education. "UIC has a strong reputation for assisting the Hispanic community, and most of the students from our area are of Hispanic origin. We felt that it was a perfect match."
In exchange for the scholarship, recipients agree to spend at least two years teaching in Berwyn/Cicero-area schools after they graduate. "These scholarships help to demonstrate to students that if you work hard and get a scholarship, it's important that you give back to the community," said Hett.
Based in Riverside, IL, The Arthur Foundation strives to be an agent of positive change through its support of high-quality, leading-edge programs in education, healthcare and medical research. In addition to its support of teacher development at UIC, the foundation also underwrites full-scholarships for students enrolled in the Jane Adams College of Social Work. With both programs, The Arthur Foundation provides the funding, and UIC officials recruit and select the scholarship recipients.