University of Chicago Scholars
About
Students in their final year of study in a Master’s program at one of three Schools at the University of Chicago: the Harris School of Public Policy; Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice; and Booth School of Business can participate in the Obama Foundation Scholars program at the University of Chicago. In addition to the programming offered through the Obama Foundation and conducted with their counterpart Scholars cohort, University of Chicago Obama Foundation Scholars will participate in a unique slate of activities based on the University of Chicago’s campus.
With a particular focus on the neighborhoods near campus, this program will provide opportunities for students to experience and examine how community engaged partnerships on the South Side of Chicago can inform scalable solutions that can, in turn, help solve pervasive problems in communities around the world. Over the course of this one-year program, students will develop a distinctly interdisciplinary approach to advancing social change, and they will leave the University and program prepared to reinvest this experience and committed to working to address complex social challenges through impactful careers across sectors and the world.
In addition to students’ degree coursework, the University of Chicago will organize and lead a series of supplemental initiatives that bring Scholars across the schools together to engage with a curated selection of University researchers, civic leaders, and social sector practitioners to bring academic insights to bear in creating scalable solutions around the world.
Key components of the program at the University of Chicago include:
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Community Impact Seminars
Community Impact Seminars that draw from faculty across the University’s research and impact ecosystem, designed to help students better understand how engaged scholarship can bridge rigorous research with the practice of uplifting communities–from Chicago’s South Side to around the globe.
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Quarterly Civic Treks
Quarterly Civic Treks that bring Scholars off-campus to meet with and learn from civic leaders and community activists who are confronting pressing social issues that shape Chicago’s diverse neighborhoods and are of critical concern to communities around the world. Through these treks, Scholars will develop sustained relationships with civic practitioners who are working on the South Side and access new opportunities to support local nonprofits.
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Exclusive Opportunities
Scholars will have an exclusive opportunity each quarter to meet with, question, and learn from the Institute of Politics Pritzker Fellows, a diverse cohort of elected officials, diplomats, policymakers, activists, nonprofit leaders, and journalists.
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Paired Mentorship
Paired mentorship with accomplished professionals from their University of Chicago schools’ alumni community to help them connect their coursework with the practical day-to-day challenges and opportunities that await them in their careers.
How to Apply
The application for the 2024-2025 Obama Foundation Scholars Program at the University of Chicago is now closed. Please follow along on social media to be notified when the 2025-2026 application becomes available in Fall 2024.
FAQs
No. Scholars will receive a certificate from the Obama Foundation and the degree they are eligible to receive from the University of Chicago based on their coursework in their respective schools.
No. The UChicago Obama Scholars Program is a non-partisan, non-political program that is not affiliated with any political party or entity. We are looking for Scholars who will bring a diverse set of perspectives to the program.
No. Applicants who are running campaigns for public office during the program term do not meet the eligibility criteria to apply for the program, due to the Obama Foundation’s status as a 501(c)(3) organization registered in the United States.
Booth School of Business
Booth Full-Time, Evening, and Weekend MBA students who have completed between 10 and 16 classes by the end of Summer Quarter 2023 and will graduate sometime in 2024 are eligible. Students who are graduating in 2024 but have taken more than 16 classes should notify Booth’s Rustandy Center of Social Sector Innovation before applying (rustandycenter@chicagobooth.edu).
As the University of Chicago will conduct most Scholars programming in-person, part-time student participants must be able to participate during in-person programming in Chicago through the end of Spring 2024, mainly in the evenings and some during the day.
Crown Family School
All students from the Crown Family School – full-time and part-time – who are entering the final year of their master’s program are eligible to apply.
Harris School of Public Policy
Harris Evening Master’s Program (EMP) students who are scheduled to graduate by Summer 2024 are eligible. As the University of Chicago will conduct most Scholars programming in-person, part-time student participants must be able to participate during in-person programming in Chicago through the end of Spring 2024, mainly in the evening and some during the day.
No. Scholars must commit to participating in the full program for the entire academic year.
No. There is no additional cost for eligible University of Chicago students to apply nor to participate in this program. Each participating Scholar will receive $10,000 of financial support in the form of a stipend to defray tuition costs and living expenses in their final year.
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