CTA ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR SCHOLARSHIP

The CTA Elevating Futures Scholarship Fund is meant to create a path for students from economically disadvantaged communities to pursue a degree in STEM fields.
The CTA Elevating Futures Scholarship Fund is meant to create a path for students from economically disadvantaged communities to pursue a degree in STEM fields.

 CTA accepting applications for scholarship

BY TIA CAROL JONES
     The Chicago Transit Authority is continuing its commitment to provide a path for economically disadvantaged youth through the CTA Elevating Futures Scholarship Fund.
     Chicago Public School students who are interested in pursuing STEM careers in the engineering or construction-related field are
encouraged to apply.
     “With every CTA project, we are committed to creating opportunity and inclusion for Chicagoans across the city,” CTA President Dorval R. Carter, Jr, said in a release. “With potential future labor shortages in these industries, there is a growing opportunity for our youth to enter occupational fields in which they have been historically underrepresented.”
     JuanPablo Prieto, director and dis- advantaged business enterprises liaison officer of CTA diversity programs, said CTA was very intentional in its diversity outreach plan for the Red Purple Line Modernization (RPM) Project. He said part of the diversity outreach plan asked the prime contractor, Walsh-Fluor, to
outline how it would diversify work- force, and help create the next generation of professional services staff that work on a project like RPM. “Walsh- Flour, the prime contractor on RPM,
came back and made a commitment of a $250,000 scholarship over the life of the project,” he said.
     CTA Elevating Futures Scholarship Fund is working with Chicago Public Schools, as well as Chicago Scholars.
     It will provide $5,500 per year scholar- ship for four years for students, from economically disadvantaged areas. Ten scholarships are available from 2020 to 2023. Three scholarships have been distributed so far in 2020. Prieto said those students are currently enrolled in school, pursuing their degrees. They also will
have the opportunity to apply for paid summer internships on the
project. He said it will give those students an opportunity to get real world experience.
     “We have so many students who work hard and are committed to their education and need financial assistance to achieve their dreams,” CPS CEO Dr. Janice K. Jackson said in a release. “The ‘CTA Elevating Futures Scholarship Fund,’ lessens the barriers they face and gives them the opportunities they need to succeed, especially during such difficult times.”
     Prieto said with the first round of scholarships, 38 percent of the applicants were from economically disadvantaged areas, which CTA defines as a community where the median house- hold income is less than $40,000. He said 93 percent of the applicants were people of color, 56 percent were women.
     “We’re really targeting that underrepresented population in the STEM fields, in the engineering and construction fields. Not only to provide them with this opportunity of a scholarship and possible internship, but also just to build the awareness that these roles and
careers exist,” he said.
     Prieto said in addition to working with CPS and Chicago Scholars, CTA also had a series called “Tracks
to Trades.” It took place at Senn High School, which is in the project area, and consisted of four sessions about the building trades and how to get into the trades. He said CTA is exploring a partnership with CPS to offer that program.
     “So, we’ve got the engineering side and the professional services side, with the scholarship, and the actual building trades through the “Tracks to Trades,” he said. “We’re really trying to make sure although this project is being built on the North side of the city, everyone from North, South, East to West is able to participate and has an opportunity to participate.”
     The deadline for the application is Monday, March 1. For more information, visit https://chicagoscholars.org/ elevatingfutures.

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