Fall 2023

The official newsletter of Chicago State Foundation Office of Alumni Affairs.

Catch up on back issues here.

Dear Alumni Family,

The school year is in full swing, and with it is a noticeable increase in campus activity. Likewise, the Foundation is managing its own growth with more support for CSU students and growing programs for our community of alumni and friends.

The Chicago State Foundation's mission is to advance the interest and welfare of Chicago State University by securing private support. To do our work well requires relationship building, and there are few relationships that are more important to a university than the one it has with its alumni. Over 30,000 strong, you are part of an important and impactful group.

We've taken the last few years to build a stable support system for CSU. Now, we are taking this growth to our alumni base. We're collecting your stories for our Oral History Project, growing alumni benefits, offering new ways for alumni to engage through giving and through volunteering. Sometimes the progress is slow moving, and other times it is lightning fast. All the while, we hope you will join us for the ride.

The growth facing CSU is made possible by our collective drive to evolve, improve, and grow. It is a part of the fabric that built the CSU community to be the strong and powerful family that it is. As you prepare for the upcoming holiday season with your families and friends, may you always remember that we are always stronger, together.

Sincerely,

1stGEN Scholarship Gala Success

The fourth annual 1stGEN Scholarship Gala: Elevate, presented by BMO, was a wild success. On October 6, over 400 champions for CSU scholars showed their support by attending the cocktail event, held this year at The Geraghty in Chicago's vibrant Pilsen neighborhood. The success of the evening included record-breaking fundraising of close to $600,000 toward student scholarships.

Thank you to our generous sponsors, whose partnership knows no bounds.

The generosity of all of our sponsors supports students of Chicago State; the only 4-year Predominantly Black Institution in Illinois, graduating more college-trained professionals of color than any other university in the Midwest. Special shout out to one of our Silver Sponsors, the CTC/CSU Alumni Association, Inc. pictured above at this year's event with CSU President Z Scott. See more pictures of this year's event here.

Several guests of honor were awarded the Cougar Servant Leadership Awards. Read more about them here.

• Karen Freeman-Wilson was awarded for her leadership in Public Service.
• Liz Thompson was awarded for her leadership in Education Equity.
• The Latino Policy Forum was awarded for its leadership in Education Equity.
• Cheryl Watkins was awarded for her alumni achievements.
• Spark Foundry and Leo Burnett were awarded for their leadership as a Corporate Champion to CSU students.

Honoring Alumni Through Scholarships

In 1993, an energetic CSU student named Steven Fitch graduated with his bachelors degree in Computer Science. He went on to have a long successful career and start a beautiful family. Exactly 25 years later, Mr. Fitch would lose his battle with cancer, leaving a hole in the hearts of his wife and daughter forever.

Five years later, his wife and fellow CSU alumna, Cynthia, found a way to honor her late husband. Founding the Steven E. Fitch Foundation, Cynthia intends to pursue supporting CSU students of computer science, like her late husband, and other majors, as a way to channel her grief for a positive outcome.

At this year's annual CSU Spirit Day in September, Cynthia did just that, awarding the inaugural Steven E. Fitch Scholarship to CSU Student MarKeisa Beal, Class of '24, who is a double majoring in computer science and mathematics. Thank you Cynthia!

Pictured above are CTC/CSU Alumni Association President Yvette Warren, College of Arts and Sciences Interim Dean Dr. Mark Smith, student scholar MarKeisa Beal, and CSU alumna and founder of the Steven E. Fitch Foundation, Cynthia Fitch.

Introducing the Alumni Impact Fund

This year on #GivingTuesday, we will launch a new way for alumni to make an impact on current CSU scholars in a more measurable way: the new Alumni Impact Fund. This fund will put students first by funding scholarships and student success programs such as the Rise Academy, Sophomore Academy, housing support, dual enrollment, and so much more.

The Alumni Impact Fund will be an unrestricted fund that the Foundation uses to support student program priorities set by the university. Working closely with President Scott, the Foundation seeks to bridge the gap between state funding and tuition dollars and we hope the strong community of alumni supporting the new Alumni Impact Fund can be that bridge.

Be a champion for CSU Scholars with a gift to the new Alumni Impact Fund this #GivingTuesday. You can make your gift early by clicking the button below.

Chicago State Foundation’s Office of Alumni Affairs continues its Alumni Oral History Project. To date, over 3,000 alumni have shared their stories with our partner, PCI, who is helping us manage this project.

A postcard that looks similar to the image above was sent to as many alumni as possible this past summer, followed by several emails and phone calls. Whether you received any of these attempts or not, we ask that you call

855-890-9253 to speak with a dedicated PCI representative to participate in this for this CSU Oral History Project…we are excited to hear your story!

Your story will be compiled into a coffee table book at the conclusion of the project next summer. You will have a chance to reserve your advance copy now (we are only printing orders made) and even secure some CSU swag if you'd like.

Alumni interviews will conclude on December 15th so get your story in today. If you've shared your story already but didn't purchase your advanced copy of the book, you can still do so by calling

855-890-9253.

To learn more about this project and see frequently asked questions,

click here.

Cougar Congratulations!

Congratulations to Dr. Charisse Johnson, PharmD, on being one of Authority Magazine's 'Inspirational Black Men and Women in Medicine'. 

In the United States today, black doctors are vastly underrepresented. Only 5% of physicians nationwide are black. Why is it so important to have better representation? What steps can be taken to fix this discrepancy? In this interview series, successful black men and women in medicine talk about their career, their accomplishments, and how others may follow their path.

Dr. Johnson was interviewed by Jamie Hemmings from Authority Magazine on five things you need to create a successful career in medicine. Read the complete interview here.

Alumni Volunteer Opportunities

Be a champion for CSU students by volunteering your time. Chicago State has an array of opportunities to share your Cougar Pride and our alumni and community members are our best resource.

Some volunteer opportunities are ongoing, while others are one-off events or engagements. These include working front desks, mentoring and presenting your career expertise to current CSU scholars, performing as our mascot, and representing CSU in your community.

Click here to learn how you can get more involved today. 

New Alumni Benefit Program

We are excited to announce that we have added an exclusive Alumni Discounts & Rewards marketplace as a new benefit for all Chicago State University Alumni this year. The marketplace features discounts on nearly anything you can think of. Including items, such as:

• Hotels, car rental and vacation packages
• Tickets to movies, concerts and sporting events
• Local restaurants, gyms, and shops
• TVs, computers, smartphones and other electronics
• Apparel, shoes and accessories

With over 10,000 brands, 200,000 offers and 1,000,000 products, you are sure to find what you’re looking for. The marketplace is easy to use and includes deals on all the brands you know and love, including Disney, Apple, Hertz, AMC Theaters, Verizon and much more. As well as discounts from your favorite local establishments. Check it out and sign up today!

If you're an employer that would like to participate in this career fair, click here to register as an employer.

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

We want to hear from you!

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The Office of Alumni Affairs is operated out of the Chicago State Foundation, the nonprofit fundraising and engagement office of Chicago State University.