Congratulations to the 74^th class of Pullman Scholars! These 25 scholars excelled both in and out of the classroom during high school, and they are now embarking on their college journeys. We look forward to supporting them throughout college and are eager to hear about their accomplishments! Join us in congratulating these scholars and welcoming them to the Pullman Scholar Community!

The 74th Class of Pullman Scholars

Zachary Allen

Niles West High School         

Oberlin College

Karen Alvarez           

Eric Solorio Academy High School   

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Christopher Bottari-Tower 

Maine South High School      

University of Wisconsin-Madison

Mohammed Danial   

Amundsen High School         

University of Illinois at Chicago

Taron Ghlijyan          

Glenbrook North High School

University of Michigan

Byron Guzman         

Chicago Math and Science Academy

DePaul University

Abdelaziz Hasan      

Oak Lawn Community High School  

Illinois Institute of Technology

* Fred and Natalie Marcon Scholar

Imranhusain Hassan

Stephen Tyng Mather High School   

Loyola University Chicago

Jacqueline Jones     

Evergreen Park High School 

University of California, Berkeley

Paulina Komperda   

Oak Lawn Community High School  

University of Michigan

Joanna Lam  

Northside College Preparatory High School 

Pomona College

Jacianna Lendor      

Kenwood Academy High School       

Lewis University

Anaya Okonmah      

Richard T. Crane Medical Prep High School 

Howard University

Rafael Ortiz  

John Hancock College Prep High School     

DePauw University

Lisa Patel      

Amundsen High School         

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Litzy Perez    

Roosevelt High School          

University of Illinois at Chicago

Stephanie Roldan    

Lane Technical College Preparatory High School    

University of Illinois at Chicago

Yousra Sadiq

Lane Technical College Preparatory High School    

University of Illinois at Chicago

Fareen Samad          

Lincoln Park High School      

Loyola University Chicago

Ana Serban   

Walter Payton College Preparatory High School      

University of Chicago

Lana Shraim 

Amos Alonzo Stagg High School      

Loyola University Chicago

Mohammed Uddin   

Palatine High School 

Case Western Reserve University

Shonni Watkins        

Whitney M. Young Magnet High School        

Illinois Institute of Technology

Mia Williams 

Robert Lindblom Math & Science Academy 

University of Pennsylvania

Earl Zhu        

George Westinghouse College Preparatory High School    

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

The 73rd Class of Pullman Foundation Scholars

Fariya Adil                                                   

Mather High School

DePaul University

Rabee Ahmad        

Niles West High School     

Northwestern University

Laila Albazzor        

Carl Sandburg High School          

Lewis University

Juan Almanza        

Golder College Prep           

Lewis University

Alexander Calderon         

George Westinghouse College Prep High School       

University of Michigan

Zachary Carter       

Lindblom Math and Science Academy    

Elmhurst University

Stephany Flores

Lindblom Math and Science Academy    

Pomona College

Leeann Gladney

DeVry Advantage Academy High School

DePaul University

Oswaldo Grajeda   

Mather High School

Cornell University

Sophia Hani

Noble Street College Prep

University of Michigan

Gabriella Hani        

Noble Street College Prep

University of Michigan

Tristan Hardy         

Rowe-Clark Math and Science Academy

Stanford University

Ebony Ikeemeka    

Chicago Math and Science Academy     

Loyola University Chicago

Soumia Kaltimi       

Evanston Township High School 

University Illinois at Chicago

Summaiya Khan    

Von Steuben Metropolitan Science Center        

DePaul University

Baron Lei     

Robert Lindblom Math and Science Academy  

University of Michigan

Nina Lin       

Jones College Prep High School 

Northwestern University

Jonah McArthur     

Jones College Prep High School 

Pitzer College

Karime Munoz        

Noble Street College Prep

New York University

Othel Owen 

Francis W. Parker

University of Southern California

Molly Sheahan       

Harold L. Richards High School  

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Paulina Slowakiewicz      

William Jones College Preparatory High School          

DePaul University

Safia Tariq  

Von Steuben Metropolitan Science Center        

DePaul University

Carlos Trejo

John Hancock College Preparatory High School          

Carleton College

Michelle Valencia  

John Hancock College Preparatory         

University of St. Francis

A’maree Waddell   

Kenwood Academy

Western Michigan University

The George M. Pullman Educational Foundation’s Board of Directors is pleased to announce the appointment of Eric Delli Bovi as its next Executive Director. According to the Foundation’s Board President Barbara M. Kaufman, “We are very excited that Eric has joined the Pullman Family.  He brings with him a wealth of not-for-profit experience to lead us into our 75^th anniversary and beyond.  We are looking forward to beginning the next chapter of the George M. Pullman Educational Foundation story”.

Eric comes to the Pullman Foundation from Urban Gateways where he spent 10 years as the President & CEO, leading a significant expansion of arts education programs and services for Chicago’s youth and communities. He directed the organization through a growth and innovation plan that included two organizational acquisitions, in addition to numerous successful projects and partnerships. 

Prior to working at Urban Gateways, Eric led the Old Town School of Folk Music’s capital campaign for a new arts education facility and oversaw unprecedented growth in fundraising to support a wide array of education and performance initiatives.

Eric was a Chicago Community Trust Fellow and was elected to the Arts Education Network Council and Emerging Leaders Council for Americans for the Arts. He currently serves on the Board of Trustees for the National Guild for Community Arts Education. Eric earned his MA at DePaul University and his BA at Ithaca College.

Mr. Delli Bovi states: “I am truly honored to join this venerable institution with a rich legacy of supporting generations of college students to reach their full potential throughout their four-year journey. I look forward to partnering with the Pullman Foundation community to advance its mission and impact and help ensure the success of every Pullman Scholar.”

Eric Delli Bovi’s appointment is well timed with the announcement of the 73^rd Class of Pullman Scholars and its annual Pullman Scholar Symposium that is now back as an in-person event after two years of virtual programming.

The George M. Pullman Educational Foundation’s mission is to support the dreams and aspirations of outstanding graduating high school seniors from Cook County with merit-based, need-based scholarships and continuing educational support as they pursue their bachelor’s degrees at the college or university of their choice.

Awards of up to $40,000 over four years are available to Pullman Scholars who continue to meet Pullman Foundation scholarship criteria, ensuring that exceptional students with financial need can earn their degrees without the burden of severe financial debt. More than 14,000 Pullman Scholars have benefited from over $33 million in scholarship awards since 1950.

The 72nd Class of Pullman Foundation Scholars

Tolulope Adejuyigbe
Whitney M. Young Magnet High School
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Malika-Malak Al-Safarini
Frederick Von Steuben Metropolitan Science Center
University of Illinois at Chicago

Zainab Awolumate
Lincoln Park High School
University of Southern California

Izabella Balderas
Rolling Meadows High School
DePaul University

Daniyah Bowen
Gary Comer College Prep
Vanderbilt University

Huda Darbo
Kenwood Academy High School
University of Illinois at Chicago

Merna Demian
Amos Alonzo Stagg High School
University of Illinois at Chicago

Thomas Dziwisz
Reavis High School
DePaul University

Anna Marie Galarion
Ronald Amundsen High School
Bradley University

Saul Garcia
St. Rita of Cascia High School
Villanova University

Monica Gomez
Sarah E. Goode STEM Academy
University of Illinois at Chicago

Jordan Hanna
Lindblom Math and Science Academy
University of Miami

Sean Haran
John F. Kennedy High School
University of Pittsburgh

Jalen Hill
Marist High School
Tufts University

Yi Chi Huang
Glenbrook South High School
Northwestern University

Victor Huang
William Jones College Preparatory High School
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Lisa Kwan
Walter Payton College Prep
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Brianna Mattson
Amos Alonzo Stagg High School
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Natalie Miranda
Roald Amundsen High School
University of Wisconsin-Madison

Yakelin Murillo Solis
Muchin College Prep
University of Wisconsin-Madison

Angel Nieves
George Westinghouse College Prep
Case Western University

Luis Nieves
Proviso East High School
Dominican University

Eduard Nunez
Lake Forest Academy
University of Pennsylvania

Mario Pauldon
The Chicago High School for the Arts
Columbia University

Kalea Ponce
Walter Payton College Prep
Cornell University

Alejandro Sanchez
The Ogden International School of Chicago
Swarthmore College

Orlando Tardi
Golder College Prep
Duke University

Claudia Zaragoza
John F. Kennedy High School
University of Illinois at Chicago

Catherine (shown center) enrolled in Northwestern University this fall to study journalism. Since then, she has gotten involved in local journalism on campus and throughout Chicago. Read on to learn more about Catherine.

When admissions letters came out in March last year, it became clear that my primary two options were the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania and the Medill School of Journalism Looking back, the reason why I chose Northwestern as opposed to UPenn was because I would be majoring in something I enjoyed.

I currently work for The Daily Northwestern, which is the main newspaper for Northwestern University and the City of Evanston. I serve at the Design Editor in addition to writing a weekly opinion column on social and political issues. Outside of work, I enjoy baking, especially cupcakes and chocolate chip cookies, and watching late-night television shows such as Saturday Night Live and Last Week Tonight with John Oliver.

Being a Pullman Scholar allows me to pursue a subject I am greatly interested in at one of the best schools in the country for journalism. Without the Pullman Scholarship, I would not have been privy to the countless opportunities I have taken advantage while at Northwestern. During the first week of my time at Northwestern, I was able to talk with ABC7 news anchors, tour the Chicago Sun Times newsroom, and interview the publisher of the Chicago Reader. It is only through the Pullman Foundation that I would get to be in place where I had access to these openings.

On May 17, 2019, at the 6th Annual Pullman Scholar Symposium, the Honorable Ramon Ocasio III (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, ’85) will be presented with the Foundation’s Most Valuable Alumnus Award for his outstanding commitment to supporting Pullman Scholars.

Scholar Lorena Munoz Ledezma (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, ’17) spoke with Judge Ocasio about his Pullman Foundation Scholarship, his interest in the law, and his path to becoming a circuit court judge. This interview first appeared in the Pullman Foundation’s 2017 Annual Report.

Lorena: What steps did you take to ensure that you reached your goal/s?

Ramon: As a Pullman Scholar, I was reminded that the pathway to the top of whatever profession I pursued was predicated on academic excellence. Therefore discipline and hard work were required. When I doubted myself an effective antidote was to reflect on how my mother and father struggled and sacrificed and worked so I could achieve and have a future. My parents always said: You have to have a better life than we did, you have to study and get an education. As a first generation college student, I understood this was an opportunity. Above and beyond working toward academic excellence; I took advantage of several educational opportunities including tutoring, pre-law seminars, establishing relationships with faculty and getting involved with student organizations.

Lorena: When did you come to the realization that you wanted to become a lawyer, and later on a judge?

Ramon: When I was admitted to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign I initially thought I would be a math teacher. I was good at math and it seemed at the time that’s what my career path would be. Of course, it’s not uncommon for students to change majors perhaps several times before establishing a course of study. I was drawn and pulled to history and social justice, and law seemed like a career where I could do justice. There were two Puerto Rican law students, visible role models, I met at La Casa Cultural Latina and they encouraged me to consider the law as a profession coupled with the idea of the attorney who takes on the fight for justice and the law was a foregone conclusion.

Lorena: What advice would you give to aspiring lawyers and others?

Ramon: It is the duty of all those who have been given the opportunity to realize a dream, and the good fortune to achieve some success, to return and talk to those who are following behind, to warn those coming behind of the hidden dangers ahead. The advice I would give is this—Find a mentor if you can. Work hard. Believe in yourself. And give back. When the time comes, and it will, you be the mentor, the career day speaker, the teacher, or the role model. Give back.

Lorena: How did the Pullman Foundation assist you in attaining your goals?

Ramon: The Pullman Foundation saw the potential and believed in me and the monies they provided help finance my goals and dreams.

The Honorable Ramon Ocasio is a judge in the Circuit Court of Cook County, first elected in 2006 from the 6th Judicial Subcircuit. As a Pullman Foundation Scholar, he received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He earned his Juris Doctorate from Northeastern University’s School of Law. Lorena Munoz Ledezma graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2017 with a degree in political science with a minor in Spanish.

Orlando enrolled in the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) this fall to study kinesiology. Since then, his first year has been full of new learning experiences. Read on to learn more about Orlando.

What drew me into college was my desire to one day do something that I am passionate about while also giving back to others in my community.

I enjoy spending time around the people that I care about most and creating memories, reading comic books, watching movies, watching professional wrestling, exercising, and playing basketball.

My first semester of college was a wild rollercoaster ride. I had my highs and I had my lows trying to get used to living life as a college student and also being away from the people I would see every day. College is very different from high school. I went to a small high school and currently go to a big university, so it felt weird walking around without knowing a single person. There is a lot more time on your hands, but that time does pass by quickly. In college, you are a lot more responsible for your own learning. You basically have to take care of yourself in every aspect of your life.

What I enjoy about being a Pullman Scholar is constantly being able to meet new people. Everyone comes from different places, go to different schools, and have different backgrounds. I find that really cool because there are always new things to learn from one another. Being a Pullman Scholar means a lot to me. It also gives me the opportunity to do things in college that I never thought I would be able to do, I get to meet new people, and I get to be a leader within my communities.

Hannah Kim packed up and headed to Savannah, GA this fall to pursue her dream of becoming an artist. She’s now studying sequential art at the Savannah College of Art and Design. We caught up with Hannah to hear how her first year is going, and why she enjoys being a Pullman Scholar

I was drawn to my college, the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), by the academics and the opportunities. SCAD is known as a great art school that has an excellent program in my major, sequential art. It also has alumni who work at Pixar, which is my dream studio. Knowing that there were alumni who were working there was so inspiring and made me feel like at SCAD my dream could become a reality!

My passions are art and storytelling. Art is really special because you can use your creativity to make things that mean a lot to you, yet also resonate with and impact other people. When I’m not making art or doodling, I like to read, journal, and play guitar, ukulele, and volleyball.

In my first quarter of college, I grew so much as an artist and person. Each week challenged me to do more than I thought I could and that resulted in me growing my confidence and my artistic skills. However, it was a really difficult adjustment. My school is an 18 hour drive from Chicago, in a city where I knew no one. I was very homesick, but I found a wonderful community in my friends and my church to help me through. My school is in Savannah, GA, which is a very different city than Chicago. I love walking to class in the city and exploring it with my friends when I have free time. The classroom environment and relationships with professors are much more professional than high school. They have stricter standards that sometimes seem too difficult, but you are capable of reaching them and grow so much when you do.

I love being a Pullman Scholar. The Pullman Foundation has made it possible for me to pursue a dream that I was doubtful could be a reality a year ago. I am studying what I love in a beautiful city with wonderful friends, on my way to my dream career. I am so grateful for the Pullman Foundation and how they support you not only financially, but as a person. They celebrate your accomplishments and progress with you and are there for you as a guiding hand. I know that if I ever struggle, they will also be there to help me. I feel so encouraged and supported by them!

Weronika Rybarska headed to Illinois State University this fall to study business management. She loves campus, but also loves to travel and expand her horizons. Read on to see how her first year is going and what being a Pullman Scholar means to her.

The one thing that drew me to Illinois State University was definitely the atmosphere that I felt when I visited both times before I committed. I visited many schools, but ISU made me feel like I actually belonged here. One of the times I came was on Valentine’s Day, where I truly saw how the students interact with each other and create such a good vibe that you could call this place your second home. 

One of my biggest passions is travelling. Since I was born and raised in Europe, travelling to different countries was so much easier over there and it really gave me the ability to see so many great places at a young age. Since then, I loved the idea of exploring new cultures and educating myself about them. Going to any new place, even if it’s an hour away from my house, excites me. 

First semester of college was nothing like I have imagined. You go from being a kid to an adult within one day. Since I’m away from home I had to learn how to be on my own and that was the biggest difference between college and high school. I had nobody to wake me up, I had to make sure that I eat, do my own laundry and little things that I would not even worry about when I was home. Even though it was challenging to manage school and extracurriculars it was also very exciting to see myself succeed and have the capabilities to be just fine by myself. 

One thing that I like about being a Pullman Scholar is the fact that I know I always have somebody that I can reach out to and receive all the support I need. This organization makes me feel very secure because I know that if I’m struggling they’ll do everything they can to bring me back up. Being a Pullman Scholar means having the opportunity to become something bigger than you ever thought you could be.

Taofeeq Rasaki enrolled at the University of Southern California this fall to study mechanical engineering. With a passion for aviation guiding his goals, he is already involved in several engineering clubs on campus and starting to conduct research. We checked in with Taofeeq to see how his first year is going and to ask what being a Pullman Scholar means to him.

USC was the school I saw represented in one of my favorite movies—Love and Basketball, it was the school George Lucas went to before he created Star Wars, and it was the school with an icon as their new interim president in the field I hope to be in one day, Dr. Wanda M Austin! All these things drew me to USC as the only place I could see myself studying for the next four years.

I am passionate about airplanes. My dreams include designing and innovating in the airline industry. To prep myself for the future I’ve joined clubs like the National Society of Black Engineers and started doing research in Fluid Mechanics with a professor I found on campus. In my free-time I bike throughout LA with my friends and see the sights of the new place I call home.

My first semester was hectic in the sense that it seemed like I always had something I could do. Not just academically, but socially and professionally, there wasn’t a lot of free time. For someone with a lot of energy it felt so different from high school, where I spent a lot of time waiting for what would happen next. Now it seems like I use my full energy arsenal and have so much fun the whole time.

I enjoy being a Pullman Scholar because the organization has everything I need to make me feel like I’m on a track to being successful. With the mentorship and support from an entire organization that is still constantly expanding what else could someone ask for. Being a Pullman Scholar means being a part of the exceptional with the potential to become a success story across any field anywhere in the country.

For the Foundation’s 65th Anniversary, Pullman Scholar Alumni shared their Pullman Foundation and American Dream stories. Watch and see how education and the Pullman Foundation Scholarship was a catalyst to their success.