02/11: HOPE Springs Eternal
Category: Dollars for Scholars
Posted by: matt
Hope: the feeling that what is wanted can be had or that events will turn out for the best.
Since its inception in 2005, Chicago HOPE Dollars for Scholars has lived up to its name: the chapter provides students hope for a better future, by providing not only 4-year renewable scholarships, but an entire network of support for helping recipients achieve success before, during, and even after college.
This inspired model wasn't born overnight. It took time, effort, and unbelievable passion and dedication from remarkable volunteers to create the kind of success Chicago HOPE Dollars for Scholars has experienced. Two of those exceptional people are Scott Thole and Dan Pierson.
Scott first became involved with Dollars for Scholars when a former mentor began a chapter and asked Scott to help with fundraising. Our mission hit very close to home: Scott’s dad was a first generation college student who faced an uphill battle. “My Dad’s parents never finished high school, and college to them was considered a waste of time,” he says.
Despite this stigma – and despite the fact that he had to work four jobs just to pay for school – Scott's dad earned his degree. Inspired by his story, and seeing Dollars for Scholars as the perfect opportunity to improve access to higher education, Scott found himself going above and beyond his original fundraising task. He eventually felt confident enough to start a chapter of his own, and one of the first colleagues he called in was his close friend Dan Pierson. Like Scott, Dan was impressed by the mission of Dollars for Scholars; having grown up in a household that supported his every educational effort, he jumped at the chance to give back.
Scott says it was easy to start the Chicago HOPE Dollars for Scholars chapter and affiliate with Scholarship America; the real challenge was figuring out a sustainable model and getting buy-in from the community.
To do so, Scott relied on his experience with Dollars for Scholars, coupled with the chapter volunteers' first-hand knowledge of how to succeed in college. They devised three key elements for chapter success: a close-knit chapter board made up of friends who are passionate about the mission; renewable scholarships for which students can reapply throughout their college careers; and a Role Model program where board members can serve as mentors.
This model ensures that students not only get into school, but are able to graduate, prepared for post-college success. In addition, the Chicago HOPE model builds in the student's desire to give back after graduation. Last but not least, it helps the chapter be a more stable organization in the community and reflects the Dollars for Scholars mission by helping students Get Into college, Get Through college, and Give Back to the chapter.
The results for the chapter, which spent two years fundraising and building before awarding its first scholarships in Spring 2008, have been eye-opening, and Scott and Dan are both proud of their success and confident it will continue, toward their goal of a multimillion-dollar endowment. Scott reiterates, “I love that model, and believe that chapter success relies on all parts;" Dan agrees, stating that by helping students get into college and ensuring their success during and after, Chicago HOPE is an invaluable resource to the community's students and businesses alike.
This status gives the chapter an edge when competing for funding and donor support in their community; Dan and Scott help foster that edge with unique marketing and personal relations efforts. Their annual Masquerade Ball, complete with a silent auction and fashion show, has historically raised upwards of $40,000 in scholarships, and they ensure attendees both have fun and remember why they're there. For example, Dan and other chapter volunteers compiled a video for the event, featuring the previous year's scholarship recipients expressing what their awards and their mentors meant to them. The chapter also displays wall-sized thank-you letters from past recipients at the event venue, helping keep the students and their stories front and center.
Since they have been awarding scholarships, Chicago HOPE Dollars for Scholars has also made a point of providing renewable scholarships, in the $3,000 - $4,000 per year range. The only catch? Students must continue to earn these scholarship awards, by maintaining a 3.0 GPA and reapplying each year. These requirements keep students accountable, provide them with more incentives for academic success, and keep them connected to the chapter. Scholarship recipient Lee Ying Wu is just one example – in her second year at MIT, she is planning to start an ACT prep course in the summer for students from Chicago public high schools. (Read her story here.)
Chicago HOPE also keeps students connected through their Role Models mentoring program, which pairs board members with scholarship recipients in order to mentor the students throughout college. The Role Model offers support and advice to their scholarship recipient regarding academics, internships, careers, or even just personal life. The chapter makes sure they're always just a phone call away for students, and the Role Models make an effort to keep in touch, whether it’s going to lunch or baseball games or conversing online or on the phone.
In short, Chicago HOPE Dollars for Scholars is doing outstanding work. And, though Scott and Dan are humble about their roles, their efforts have been noticed. Recently, the pair were honored by Investment News's Invest in Others Foundation as finalists in the foundation's Community Leadership Awards, receiving $2,500 for the chapter.
And, despite the current economic climate, they remain excited about the future. Chicago HOPE hasn’t lost steam in their million-dollar endowment mission. As Dan explains, they have just learned to be more creative and organized in their fundraising approach; by encouraging each board member to look for charitable grants available through their workplaces, they have built further partnerships with a diverse group of companies and supporters.
As both Scott and Dan will tell you, volunteering with Dollars for Scholars means there's never a dull moment. As both role models and board members, they have unique opportunities to build lasting relationships with students. They impact those students' lives before, during and after college, helping them steer a course toward success, and providing hope throughout their community.
Since its inception in 2005, Chicago HOPE Dollars for Scholars has lived up to its name: the chapter provides students hope for a better future, by providing not only 4-year renewable scholarships, but an entire network of support for helping recipients achieve success before, during, and even after college.
This inspired model wasn't born overnight. It took time, effort, and unbelievable passion and dedication from remarkable volunteers to create the kind of success Chicago HOPE Dollars for Scholars has experienced. Two of those exceptional people are Scott Thole and Dan Pierson.
Scott first became involved with Dollars for Scholars when a former mentor began a chapter and asked Scott to help with fundraising. Our mission hit very close to home: Scott’s dad was a first generation college student who faced an uphill battle. “My Dad’s parents never finished high school, and college to them was considered a waste of time,” he says.
Despite this stigma – and despite the fact that he had to work four jobs just to pay for school – Scott's dad earned his degree. Inspired by his story, and seeing Dollars for Scholars as the perfect opportunity to improve access to higher education, Scott found himself going above and beyond his original fundraising task. He eventually felt confident enough to start a chapter of his own, and one of the first colleagues he called in was his close friend Dan Pierson. Like Scott, Dan was impressed by the mission of Dollars for Scholars; having grown up in a household that supported his every educational effort, he jumped at the chance to give back.
Scott says it was easy to start the Chicago HOPE Dollars for Scholars chapter and affiliate with Scholarship America; the real challenge was figuring out a sustainable model and getting buy-in from the community.
To do so, Scott relied on his experience with Dollars for Scholars, coupled with the chapter volunteers' first-hand knowledge of how to succeed in college. They devised three key elements for chapter success: a close-knit chapter board made up of friends who are passionate about the mission; renewable scholarships for which students can reapply throughout their college careers; and a Role Model program where board members can serve as mentors.
This model ensures that students not only get into school, but are able to graduate, prepared for post-college success. In addition, the Chicago HOPE model builds in the student's desire to give back after graduation. Last but not least, it helps the chapter be a more stable organization in the community and reflects the Dollars for Scholars mission by helping students Get Into college, Get Through college, and Give Back to the chapter.
The results for the chapter, which spent two years fundraising and building before awarding its first scholarships in Spring 2008, have been eye-opening, and Scott and Dan are both proud of their success and confident it will continue, toward their goal of a multimillion-dollar endowment. Scott reiterates, “I love that model, and believe that chapter success relies on all parts;" Dan agrees, stating that by helping students get into college and ensuring their success during and after, Chicago HOPE is an invaluable resource to the community's students and businesses alike.
This status gives the chapter an edge when competing for funding and donor support in their community; Dan and Scott help foster that edge with unique marketing and personal relations efforts. Their annual Masquerade Ball, complete with a silent auction and fashion show, has historically raised upwards of $40,000 in scholarships, and they ensure attendees both have fun and remember why they're there. For example, Dan and other chapter volunteers compiled a video for the event, featuring the previous year's scholarship recipients expressing what their awards and their mentors meant to them. The chapter also displays wall-sized thank-you letters from past recipients at the event venue, helping keep the students and their stories front and center.
Since they have been awarding scholarships, Chicago HOPE Dollars for Scholars has also made a point of providing renewable scholarships, in the $3,000 - $4,000 per year range. The only catch? Students must continue to earn these scholarship awards, by maintaining a 3.0 GPA and reapplying each year. These requirements keep students accountable, provide them with more incentives for academic success, and keep them connected to the chapter. Scholarship recipient Lee Ying Wu is just one example – in her second year at MIT, she is planning to start an ACT prep course in the summer for students from Chicago public high schools. (Read her story here.)
Chicago HOPE also keeps students connected through their Role Models mentoring program, which pairs board members with scholarship recipients in order to mentor the students throughout college. The Role Model offers support and advice to their scholarship recipient regarding academics, internships, careers, or even just personal life. The chapter makes sure they're always just a phone call away for students, and the Role Models make an effort to keep in touch, whether it’s going to lunch or baseball games or conversing online or on the phone.
In short, Chicago HOPE Dollars for Scholars is doing outstanding work. And, though Scott and Dan are humble about their roles, their efforts have been noticed. Recently, the pair were honored by Investment News's Invest in Others Foundation as finalists in the foundation's Community Leadership Awards, receiving $2,500 for the chapter.
And, despite the current economic climate, they remain excited about the future. Chicago HOPE hasn’t lost steam in their million-dollar endowment mission. As Dan explains, they have just learned to be more creative and organized in their fundraising approach; by encouraging each board member to look for charitable grants available through their workplaces, they have built further partnerships with a diverse group of companies and supporters.
As both Scott and Dan will tell you, volunteering with Dollars for Scholars means there's never a dull moment. As both role models and board members, they have unique opportunities to build lasting relationships with students. They impact those students' lives before, during and after college, helping them steer a course toward success, and providing hope throughout their community.
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