Higher Education Archives - George M. Pullman Educational Foundation

George M. Pullman Educational Foundation Receives $10 Million from MacKenzie Scott to Advance 75-Year Legacy of College Access for Cook County High School Students

Posted on October 20, 2025 (October 20, 2025) by Anne Stretz

Gift affirms the Pullman Educational Foundation’s distinctive model of renewable scholarships with high-touch programs that deliver 95% completion rates and 70% debt-free graduates, ensuring more scholars can earn degrees, achieve career success and assume community leadership. CHICAGO, IL, Oct. 21, 2025 — The George M. Pullman Educational Foundation (GPEF), a nonprofit dedicated to advancing access […]

Chicago’s Future–and Our Nation’s–Calls for a Scholarship Reset

Posted on October 20, 2025 (October 20, 2025) by Anne Stretz

By Eric Delli Bovi Public confidence in the worth of a four-year degree is at a new low, but the financial reality remains clear: A college education is still the most reliable path to economic mobility and generational wealth. Yet, traditional financial aid has not kept pace with soaring college costs. The Pullman Scholars program […]

Why–and How–College Scholarships Without Strings Create Stronger Outcomes

Posted on October 20, 2025 (October 20, 2025) by Anne Stretz

By Richard W. Daspit Jr. At the Pullman Educational Foundation, “no strings attached” is more than a phrase—it’s a principle that defines our scholarships and drives everything we do. By empowering students to pursue their own path and pairing that freedom with proactive supports like mentorship, monthly check-ins and mental health resources, Pullman Scholars achieve […]

The Freedom to Follow Your Passion: Meet Pullman Scholar Dejah Powell, Cornell University ‘18.

Posted on November 27, 2017 (September 23, 2024) by doug

Dejah Powell (Cornell University ’18) is a college senior, but she’s already made a difference in the world that people twice her age only dream of. She credits the Pullman Foundation for much of her success. “My Pullman Foundation Scholarship is transformative,” she says. “It’s given me the freedom to focus on my academics and […]

Chicago Sun-Times Op-Ed: When a Smart Kid Wins a Scholarship, Why Does Illinois Cheap Out?

Posted on July 28, 2017 (September 23, 2024) by doug

Executive Director Robin Redmond published an Op-Ed to the Chicago Sun-Times after Maryland passed a law banning scholarship displacement by public universities. “Some displacement defenders say they need to recapture financial aid resources to disburse it to other students with financial need,” says Redmond. “But the logic here is off and is exactly the opposite […]

2017-2018 FAFSA Changes

Posted on October 4, 2016 (September 23, 2024) by doug

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is an online form that college students fill out annually to identify their eligibility for federal aid. Some of this aid includes Pell Grants, MAP Grants (for students attending college in Illinois), federal student loans, and work-study opportunities. Plus, it helps colleges get a sense of what […]

Read More… from 2017-2018 FAFSA Changes

First Lady Michelle Obama Creates Text Campaign for First-Generation Students

Posted on September 9, 2016 (September 23, 2024) by doug

First Lady Michelle Obama helped launch Up Next, a free text messaging system that gives students free guidance on all things college. The main goal of this Better Make Room program, is to help students — especially those who are first-generation college goers — successfully navigate the journey to and through college. Students simply text the […]

Barbara Miller, Pullman Foundation Board President Featured in Chicago Tribune

Posted on March 1, 2015 (September 23, 2024) by doug

Bonnie Miller, the Foundation’s board president, was featured as March 2015’s Remarkable Woman in the Chicago Tribune. Read the full article here. “Before Bonnie became president, we were doing good work,” said Robin Redmond, the foundation’s executive director. “But she had the foresight to see a greater potential. Now, we can help more students.” Bonnie […]