UCAN Scholarship Recipient Is Recognized For His Work In The Community

UCAN Chicago recognized seven young people and presented them with scholarships during the 26th Annual UCAN leadership awards. Photo provided by Rise Strategy Group.
UCAN Chicago recognized seven young people and presented them with scholarships during the 26th Annual UCAN leadership awards. Photo provided by Rise Strategy Group.

UCAN Scholarship Recipient Is Recognized For His Work In The Community

By Tia Carol Jones

Robert Benson II has always been around UCAN. His mother worked with Safe Passage and his father worked in the office. While there with his parents, he was exposed to the programs and services that are available. He realized that the programs provided necessary resources and services. He ended up participating in the Violence Intervention and Prevention Program, which helps young people thrive in a safe environment while empowering them to fulfill their potential as future leaders.

Benson, a North Lawndale resident, is one of seven young people who received a scholarship from UCAN Chicago during the 26th Annual UCAN leadership awards, which took place at the end of June. Benson said he feels accomplished and is very grateful to his parents and UCAN for enabling him with the tools to be able to express his voice and passion for helping others in ways that he didn’t know that he could.

UCAN Chicago was founded 154 years ago as an orphanage and has expanded to provide social services and programs, which include foster care and transitional services, therapeutic and clinical services, as well as violence intervention and prevention, workforce development and youth development.

As part of the Violence Intervention and Prevention (VIPS) program, Benson participated in the safe spaces program where young people created events for the community, with the goal of engaging children and their families in activities in a safe environment. One of the projects Benson and the other participants of safe spaces program facilitated was an open gym day where children were able play basketball, football, volleyball or any other sport and games.

He said he invited his little sister to the event and noticed how she and the other children were enjoying the event. “That really made me understand the impact I had on the community and that it was greater than what I though it was,” he said.

Benson said that receiving the scholarship will take some of the financial burden from his parents having to pay his tuition. He is going to attend Northern Illinois University and study computer engineering. He said he chose computer engineering after participating in a coding program, which led to him to taking computer science classes. He said that he wants to be able to use his degree to make a difference and create something impactful; while showing others how being a computer engineer can benefit the community.

“These incredible youth exemplify UCAN’s relentless spirit. They’ve overcome major obstacles to become pillars in their community,” Christa Hamilton, President and CEO of UCAN, said in a release. “We’re honored to celebrate them by giving out these annual scholarships. These funds do so much more than relieve financial hardships; they ensure that our youth have the freedom and opportunity to pursue their dreams without delay.”

Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton was honored as the 2025 Civic Engagement Award. T. Bondurant French received the John D. Nichols Impact Award. McDonald’s Corporation received the Corporate Engagement Award.

For more information about UCAN, visit www.ucanchicago.org.

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