Eighteen rising leaders have been selected to the newest cohort of the University of Chicago Obama Foundation Scholars Program, which was announced Sept. 15.
Drawn from communities around the world and across Chicago, this year’s cohort includes students from the Booth School of Business, the Harris School of Public Policy, and the Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice. The scholars’ wide-ranging areas of interest span public health, education access and criminal justice reform.
The UChicago Obama Foundation Scholars program focuses on helping students expand their work in their communities while exploring models for leadership and social change. Its emphasis on building real-world skills is rooted in a curriculum intended to foster new relationships, with networking opportunities and personalized support that extend beyond graduation.
“The University of Chicago Obama Foundation Scholars arrive with great talent and deep understanding of the issues that are most important to their communities, along with a commitment to bringing the best ideas and evidence to bear to address them,” Provost Katherine Baicker said. “Working alongside our faculty and with organizations across Chicago, this year’s scholars will strengthen the ambitious work they have already begun. The University of Chicago is proud to partner with the Obama Foundation to support these rising leaders and their vital work.”
Since its inception in 2018, the UChicago Obama Foundation Scholars program has supported 219 leaders from 74 countries. This year’s cohort from UChicago is already working to make a difference, both here and abroad—from expanding HIV screening on Chicago’s South Side to improving access to surgical care in Ghana.
“We are proud to welcome the newest class of University of Chicago Obama Foundation Scholars,” said Valerie Jarrett, CEO of the Obama Foundation. “Over the next year, they will sharpen their skills, expand their networks, and gain valuable insights and experiences to help expand opportunities for the organizations and communities they serve.”
Support for the UChicago Obama Foundation Scholars Program is being provided by BMO Harris Bank; Robert and Jane Clark; The Clayco Foundation; The Crown Family; The Harris Family Foundation; Rachel DeYoung Kohler and Mark S. Hoplamazian; The Judy and Peter Blum Kovler Foundation; Charles Ashby Lewis and Penny Bender Sebring; The Lewis-Sebring Family Foundation; The Neubauer Family Foundation; and Susan Rustandy and Tandean Rustandy.
Read more about this year’s UChicago Obama Foundation Scholars below:
Booth School of Business
Sarah Assian — Chicago
Physician assistant, Cook County Health
Scaling sustainable, standardized HIV care infrastructure and advancing health equity by building cross-sector coalitions.
Vincent Buckman — Ghana
Former health care consultant, AArete
Improving access to timely surgical care in Ghana by strengthening collaboration between traditional health care providers, public health workers and hospitals.
Jared Jerrick — United States and Guyana
Former commissioned officer, U.S. Army
Fostering sustainable economic self-determination for youth in Guyana by establishing financial literacy programs and youth development hubs.
Jackson Montgomery — Chicago
Patient health advocate and research coordinator, UChicago Medical Center and the Chicago Center for HIV Elimination
Addressing public health diagnostic disparities on Chicago’s South Side by deploying innovative screening tools and establishing replicable citywide frameworks.
Ade Oparinu — Nigeria
Founder, PathShapers Africa
Empowering rural students in Nigeria through talent labs, extracurricular programs and incentive-driven tech programs.
Sanjeev Parameswaran — Chicago
Former senior consultant, AT&T
Building hiring pipelines into the corporate world to connect justice-impacted individuals with living-wage careers.
Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice
Hailey Aldrich — Chicago
Survivor fund associate, The Network Advocating Against Domestic Violence
Preventing tenant displacement and advancing homeownership opportunities by championing community land trust models and bridging gaps between residents, advocacy and policy.
Mariah Cooley — Chicago
Program manager, UChicago Crime Lab
Reducing gun violence by training youth in conflict mediation and equipping community violence intervention leaders.
Alexia Estrada — Pasco, Washington
Former director of operations, Semillero de Ideas; co-founder, Cafe con Arte
Elevating agricultural professionals as key innovation leaders and creating culturally relevant mental health tools.
Anna Grant-Bolton — Evanston, Illinois
Outreach lead and steering committee organizer, Evanston Community Fridges
Bridging food distribution gaps in and around Chicago through mutual aid, grassroots community education and policy advocacy.
Joseph Mapp — Chicago
Director, Chicago Mayor’s Office of Reentry
Transforming the reentry process of formerly incarcerated people by establishing coordinated, gender-responsive public services to create pathways for dignity and opportunity.
Juliet Rowe — United States and United Kingdom
Director of development, OneGoal
Creating economic opportunities for young people by building sustainable cross-sector partnerships and scaling career expositions into regional workforce development infrastructures.
Harris School of Public Policy
Apollinaire Abi — Togo
Executive director, NawiriTech
Promoting evidence-based public policy across Africa by expanding data science training and establishing data partnerships with state agencies.
Jess Artis — Chicago
Founder, Home Wealth School
Advancing housing stability and preserving generational wealth for vulnerable communities through homeownership training and advocacy.
LeAaron Foley — Chicago
Regional head of government and community relations, Lime
Redesigning legacy transit and land-use systems by connecting private sector transit resources with community ideas and needs to build equitable urban policies across Chicago.
Kavita Rawat — India
Former senior project manager, Central Square Foundation
Tackling learning deficits among low-income primary students in India by integrating technology, teacher training and parent involvement through community hubs.
Bhavya Sharma — India
Former project lead, Integrated Leadership Forum Against Trafficking
Elevating survivor voices in anti-trafficking policy through a pioneering survivor-centric public policy model and AI-driven interventions for reintegration.
Booth School of Business and Harris School of Public Policy
Erica Choi — Chicago
Growth fellow, Fabric Health
Expanding social services to traditionally underserved families through tech-powered innovations and community-based solutions.
