Jeffrey Beckham Jr. the CEO of a nonprofit organization called Chicago Scholars called the next move of the program “potentially life-changing.”

       Chicago Scholars, an initiative that works with first-generation and low-income students with college preparation and success strategies, announced its partnership with Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago, an independent policy research center on November 10. Through a $2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Services, Chapin Hall will evaluate college enrollment and the success of first-generation students from Chicago Scholars over the course of a five-year period.

       Beckham said the randomized control trial will measure the outcomes of college enrollment and student persistence while pursuing a college career.

       “This is potentially life-changing because they can prove and measure our work and can inform policymakers,” Beckman said. “Hopefully our programs can be replicated in other college access and success programs throughout the nation.”

       Chapin Hall was granted $2 million from the Institute of Education Sciences and the National Center for Education Research in early September to lead the five-year study of Chicago Scholars.

       During the trial, an estimated 1,100 students, representing all 77 community areas and 114 high schools in Chicago will be in the study. Half of the participants will take part in the Chicago Scholars’ intensive seven-year college access and success program. The other half will go to other college preparation programs in the city.

       Beckham said this process will track the progress of the Chicago Scholars.

       “I think the results will help us improve our program,” Beckham said. “We know our program works but continuous improvement is part of our strategic plan.”

       In a written statement, Dr. Leah Gjerton, a senior researcher at Chapin Hall, said the research being conducted is dedicated to finding “tangible solutions” to improve child and family well-being.

       “This includes addressing the barriers we need to overcome to offer equitable resources and opportunities to students,” Gjertson said. “Chicago Scholars is doing important work, and we are excited to work with them to gain a better understanding of the impact their programs have on individual students and the greater Chicago community.”

       Over the course of 25 years, Chicago Scholars has provided support to more than 5,000 first-generation and low-income students with college application support, boosting leadership skills throughout college, and connecting students with internship and post-grad opportunities, according to Beckham.

       The process starts in a student’s senior year of high school. With the help of mentors and counselors, high school seniors will get help finding the right college, writing their personal statements, understanding the financial aid process, and identifying scholarships.

       “It’s really kind of the core part of the beginning of the journey to explore schools and find the right school through something we call “fit and match” a term we worked on with the University of Chicago,” Beckham said.

       Once a student enrolls at a college, they will then partake in a program called “Lift,” where staff members spend time with students throughout their college careers to help guide them through their studies, identity scholarships, and career counseling. Chicago Scholars staff work with students in the Lift program until they graduate from college.

       Roughly 83% of Chicago Scholar students graduate within six years, according to Beckham. An estimated 95% of students in the program are of color.

       “We work to make sure Chicago’s young people have the best resources and opportunities to succeed,” Beckham said.

       In October, Beckham said Chicago Scholars had an on-site college admissions forum. More than 700 students were interviewed with 190 schools. He said more than 800 acceptances were given and approximately $31.5 million was awarded in merit scholarships.

       “Students are going to schools all over the county from the University of Illinois, DePaul, University of Wisconsin, and many in the city,” Beckham said. “Some of the students who have already completed school are doing phenomenal things in their careers.”

       Among them is Malcolm Fox, who graduated from Howard University earlier this year and landed a job as an Operations Associate at McDonald’s Corporation in Denver. Though in a different city, Fox raised $20,000 for Bronzeville’s Wendell Phillips Academy High School, where he graduated, to help build a STEM lab.

       Malcolm Fox, who graduated from Howard University earlier this year, landed a job as an Operations Associate at McDonald’s Corporation in Denver. Though in a different city, Fox raised $20,000 for Bronzeville’s Wendell Phillips Academy High School, where he graduated, to help build a STEM lab. (Chicago Scholars)

       Daniela Fernandez, who graduated from Georgetown University in 2017 is the founder and CEO of Sustainable Ocean Alliance, an award-winning global organization that provides solutions to better the health of oceans.

       Steve Wilson, a mechanical engineering major at Ohio State University, launched a nonprofit called Unprecedented Chicago, which awarded six rising college freshmen with $1,000 scholarships each.

       Steve Wilson, a mechanical engineering major at Ohio State University, launched a nonprofit called Unprecedented Chicago, which awarded six rising college freshmen with $1,000 scholarships each. (Chicago Scholars)

       “They are not only pushing the narrative of what it means to be a diverse leader from Chicago, but they are also trying to reach back and pull up young people who look like them and come from their neighborhoods who are going through what they are going through and trying to mentor along the way while they’re on their own journeys,” Beckham said.

       Beckham said he believes the trial with Chapin Hall will help propel the successes of Chicago scholars.

       “We want to empower (students) with the tools to be the next generation of leaders in the city,” Beckham said.

       Applications for Chicago Scholars will be open during the first week of December.

       tatturner@chicagotribune.com

       ‘Like something out of Looney Tune adventures’: Jussie Smollett testifies he was jumped on Chicago street by two men who hurled racial and homophobic epithets

       16m

       College prep program Chicago Scholars joins forces with Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago to possibly change lives

       48m

       Criminal Justice ‘Like something out of Looney Tune adventures’: Jussie Smollett testifies he was jumped on Chicago street by two men who hurled racial and homophobic epithets

       16m

       Breaking News North Shore brothers plead guilty to charges in US Capitol attack on Jan. 6

       1h

       Chicago Bears 3 things we heard from the Chicago Bears, including monitoring Justin Fields’ status for the Green Bay Packers and Matt Nagy investigating the headset issues

       39m