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

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, Oct. 21, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The George M. Pullman Educational Foundation (GPEF), a nonprofit dedicated to advancing access to higher education for Cook County students, announced today that philanthropist MacKenzie Scott has awarded the organization a $10 million unrestricted gift. This substantial contribution supports GPEF's endowment, empowering the Foundation to sustain and expand the vital resources it provides its Pullman Scholars. These include renewable scholarships of up to $40,000 over four years — alongside an array of wrap-around services designed to help ensure students graduate on time with little or no debt.

Meeting the Moment with Expanded Support

"Ms. Scott's award is an extraordinary affirmation of our Pullman Scholars' program, which is anchored by a unique ecosystem that has evolved over the years in response to our students' wants and needs. We are profoundly appreciative for this support, which was unanticipated but comes at a significant juncture in our program," George M. Pullman Educational Foundation Executive Director Eric Delli Bovi said.

"Our model pairs significant scholarships with high-touch services — from individual monthly check-ins and frequent seminars on topics our students identify, to career guidance and a robust alumni network to mentor current scholars," he explained. "We designed it organically, yet also intentionally, to not only fund higher education but also to prepare students for success in work and life. That's why we heightened the impact of our Scholars' program by adding on-demand mental health services through BetterHelp for all Pullman Scholars shortly before the 2025-26 academic year began, as well as increasing our current freshman class by 20%.

 "This award gives us the breathing room to sustain and deepen our programming while maintaining our commitment to being interactive and responsive to Scholars' needs," Delli Bovi added. "It ensures we can meet students where they are by providing financial support, community and critical skills that allow them to thrive."

Building on 75 Years of Proven Impact

George M. Pullman Educational Foundation Board President Richard W. Daspit Jr. said the Scott gift validates a legacy of disciplined, hands-on support that has endured and evolved by maximizing its efficacy for three generations.

"For 75 years, nearly 12,000 Pullman Scholars have been empowered to graduate on time with low or no debt," Daspit said. "Our model is significant and durable. We don't just provide a small stipend for a year. We award up to $10,000 annually for four years — often the last dollar that closes a funding gap — and we pair it with relationship-driven services, mentorship and community. That combination has produced consistently high results: 84 to 95% of our students complete their degrees within four years, and 70% graduate debt-free compared with the national average of $37,000 in debt."

Daspit noted that more than half of Pullman Scholars are the first in their families to attend college. "Other programs often assume students already have the frameworks to navigate college," he said. "We fill those gaps with structured support like the monthly check-ins, our annual symposium and mental health services. The result is clear: strong academic performance, career momentum and alumni who lead in their communities. This award will help us expand that cycle of impact."

Scholar Shares Transformative Experience

For Kenechukwu Uwajeh, a 2023 graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and an alumna of Southland College Prep in Richton Park, the Pullman Educational Foundation changed everything.

"I received financial aid offers from many colleges, but none of them would have allowed me to go to school without undertaking significant debt. Pullman was the scholarship that closed the gap," Uwajeh said. "They gave me $7,500 annually, which allowed me to graduate debt-free. That meant I could focus on my education instead of worrying about loans or burdening my parents."

Now a senior business development representative at Sprout Social, Uwajeh said Pullman's value went beyond money. "The check-ins were invaluable — they wanted to know how we were really doing," she said. "The seminars gave us skills in budgeting and career prep that most students never get. And the community made me feel supported the entire way through. It wasn't just money — it was a lifeline."

Expanding Access with Foresight and Few Strings Attached

Anticipating student need is important to the Foundation and informs the way they have structured and enhanced the Pullman Scholar's Program over the years. This award comes at a time when higher education costs are rising and students face diminishing funding sources, creating headwinds for students as they strive to attend four-year college programs.

"These issues will likely make attending traditional four-year institutions more difficult for many students," noted Delli Bovi. "Yet a substantial body of data shows that a college degree yields a significant return on investment. It's the strongest predictor of higher lifetime earnings, economic mobility and generational wealth."

Complicating attendance for many students is the fact that most scholarship programs carry restrictions around where students may enroll, what majors they may pursue or how aid may be used. The Pullman Foundation stands apart as one of the few that doesn't require these restraints.

Pullman Scholars are free to attend any four-year accredited college or university. The Foundation requires only a 3.0 GPA, does not consider SAT or ACT scores and weighs extracurricular activities, employment and community service. Eligibility is limited to Cook County students, reinforcing a deep local impact. This student-centered approach makes Pullman one of the only programs that combines meaningful scholarship awards with such flexibility. For Cook County students, the impact is transformative.

Tracking Results and Measuring Success

The Pullman Educational Foundation's results over 75 years illustrate how meaningful aid paired with consistent support changes trajectories. Since 1950, more than 11,500 students have received Pullman Scholarships, attending 759 colleges nationwide. The Foundation has awarded nearly $38 million in scholarships, with $1 million invested annually today.

Currently, 109 Pullman Scholars are enrolled at 40 colleges across the country, with 63% pursuing STEM majors. Five of the current Scholars' most popular schools keep talent near Chicago: the University of Illinois at Chicago, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, the University of Michigan, DePaul University and Northwestern University.

Graduation outcomes reflect the Foundation's strength. The Class of 2024 achieved an 87% four-year graduation rate with an average GPA of 3.59. Seventy percent graduated debt-free, and the overall average loan debt was just $3,703 — a fraction of the national average of $37,000.

About the George M. Pullman Educational Foundation: For 75 years, GPEF has fulfilled its mission to enable outstanding Cook County students to pursue bachelor's degrees at the colleges or universities of their choice, graduate on time and launch their futures with minimal or no debt. Nearly 12,000 individuals have received Pullman Scholarships — many the first in their families to attend college — and alumni from every decade since 1950 have gone on to achieve lasting economic stability and contribute to their communities. The Foundation, rooted in Chicago and guided by the George M. Pullman family's stewardship of his original vision, is among the nation's oldest continuously operating scholarship programs. Its renewable, merit- and need-based scholarships of up to $40,000 over four years are paired with high-touch services including one-on-one guidance, scholar success seminars, an annual symposium, alumni mentoring and mental health support. Though often conflated or confused with the Pullman National Historic Park and the Historic Pullman Foundation, The Pullman Educational Foundation is unrelated to and predates these other entities. Learn more at https://www.pullmanfoundation.org/.

Media Contact:
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SOURCE George M. Pullman Educational Foundation