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College Possible Chicago

@collegepossible_chi

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Since 2015, we’ve helped 2,400 students transform their college dreams into reality by guiding them through every step of the college journey.

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Our celebration of the 2026 Cubs Charities Community Awards continues!

Meet five recipients supporting Chicago’s young people.

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One of the best parts of every Foundation To Be Named Later trip is seeing our community come together.

What a great afternoon at Kings in Chicago, where our FTBN Lin Brehmer College Scholars, Brehmer Mentors, supporters, and our incredible nonprofit partners gathered to connect, celebrate, and simply enjoy time together. These moments remind us that meaningful relationships are built not only through programs, but through shared experiences, laughter, and community.

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who joined us and to our nonprofit partners for helping make the day so special. We’re grateful to be surrounded by organizations and individuals who are committed to opening doors and creating opportunities for young people.

Thank you to Marty Lennertz, The BASE Chicago, College Possible, Youth Guidance, Uniting Voices Chicago, Joe Shanahan and Metro, and, of course, Allyce Najimy for bringing people together in such a meaningful way.

Here’s to great conversations, new connections, and an unforgettable day in Chicago.

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Some full-circle moments deserve to be celebrated. 💙🎓

Thank you, College Possible, for my thoughtful graduation gift and, more importantly, for believing in me from the very beginning.

As a Chicago Public Schools student and a first-generation college graduate, I had no idea how to navigate higher education. Being accepted into College Possible during my junior year of high school changed the trajectory of my life.

From SAT preparation, college applications, and scholarship support to helping with textbooks, navigating college life, and providing encouragement every step of the way, your team has been there through every milestone. Because of your unwavering support, I had the confidence and resources to reach the finish line.

Today, I am proud to officially be a college graduate and an alum of College Possible. This accomplishment is one I share with everyone who invested in my success along the way.

Thank you for helping make my dream a reality. I am forever grateful and excited for what comes next. ❤️

#CollegePossible #FirstGenerationGraduate #CollegeGraduate #firstgensucces

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There were many years when I spent my time as a below-average student and didn’t know how to improve because I didn’t have enough support or resources available. In Bangladesh, mostly the “good students” and teacher favorites receive the benefits, while many students are not encouraged to raise questions or challenge teaching methods. In fact, even my pediatric record once suggested that I would not move forward much in life. I was stuck around an 8th-grade level.

Thankfully, after 9th grade, I came to the USA, where I finally received support and resources that helped me make better decisions and reach a point where I could earn my bachelor’s degree. English was not my first language, and I was not strong enough academically at first to achieve top results. Still, with help from teachers at Mather High School and supportive college coaches, I improved my grades, earned SAT opportunities, and was able to enter a four-year university program.

I also received financial aid, grants, and city and state scholarships as one of the stronger students in my class at Mather High School. Later, I met peers at NEIU who helped me find my voice and encouraged me to explore my own skills. I had opportunities to work as a student library assistant, receive technical support experience, and gain support from CMT, teachers, and theatre classes where our voices and languages were respected.

For the first time, I learned that my opinions mattered. I learned not to live under pressure or fear, but to become aware of my own choices and rights. I learned that I have the right to choose what I want to do in life. Wherever I found support, I also found people who stood against bullying and ragging. Freshmen and seniors could be friends without fear or forced respect.

That experience felt very different from many systems where students are taught to live under pressure, follow only the “popular” path, and never question society’s expectations. Over the last seven years, I learned how important decision-making is — not only how to make decisions, but also how to make them happen in the future while using the opportunities available in the present.

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August is a time for us to celebrate Baseball, Music and our incredible Foundation To Be Named Later College SCHOLARS! Meet the @lin_brehmerxrt Scholars who were selected because they embody, Lin’s spirit of kindness, leadership, joy, determination, and service to others! #GOODLUCK SCHOLARS
Thank you to our sponsor Greenberg Traurig and Paul Ferak and his team for hosting us & to our sponsors and mentors — Bill @piecechicago Peggy @sloan_valve Matt @WilliamBlair David Fidelity @nixiedrew Freddie @statefarm @martylennartzxrt @93Xrt @joemetro40 and of course Sara, Lin‘s beautiful wife! Couldn’t do this without our partners @thebasechicago @unitingvoicesorg @collegepossible_chi @youthguidancechi
🎓🎶⚾️❤️

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We're only halfway through the year, and A Better Chicago is proud to have welcomed five new organizations to our portfolio for a total of 26 incredible nonprofit partners.

We're deeply grateful to each and every one of these organizations for their dedication to building a better future for Chicago.

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Overnight fun in the Chi
🍀Elve raised money for #CollegePossible thru the #ShamrockShuffle charity program
🟣Slime fun at Sloomoo. You get your slime name by replacing the vowels with oo
Mooloossoo
Oolvoo
Fooooth

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“Collectively this group supports 55,000 young people annually, and that’s going to grow to over 60,000 next year.” — Beth Swanson

We’re incredibly grateful to celebrate the close of another remarkable year with our portfolio organizations, Board, and Leadership Council members. Your unwavering dedication to progress and change continues to inspire us. 🎄✨

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Thank you to our Education Partner, @collegepossible_chi , for welcoming CareerSpring's Margaret Falter to host a workshop with your team in #Chicago! We're thrilled to welcome them to our Network and support them with our resources during their collegiate journey and beyond.

If you’re interested in sharing CareerSpring’s free resources with your class, fellow peers, or any FGLI students or graduates you know, please get in touch with our team. Learn more at www.CareerSpring.org.

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🌟 Exciting News! 🌟 We are excited to announce that Ingenuity has been selected as one of the 2024 Invest for Kids Grant Recipients! This honor follows a rigorous selection process, and we are proud to be among the eight nonprofit organizations chosen from over 100 applicants.

With the support of Invest for Kids, Ingenuity is committed to furthering our mission to improve arts education and access for Chicago’s youth, particularly those with little to no arts education in their school. This grant will empower us to make an even bigger impact through our Creative Schools Fund, allowing us to expand our reach and deepen our support for arts programs in Chicago Public Schools across the city.

We also want to congratulate the other selected grantees: ATLAS Fellows, Camp for All Kids, Chicago Eco House, College Possible Chicago, Great Lakes Academy, Legal Prep Charter Academy, and MetroSquash. We are inspired by the incredible work being done by these organizations and look forward to the positive impact we can all make together.

A sincere thank you to Invest for Kids for their dedication to supporting impactful organizations in our community. Together, we will continue to build a brighter future for all of Chicago’s youth.

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We’re proud to announce the recipients of the 2024 Paul Purcell “Kids Win!” Annual Baird Education Grant in honor of our former Chairman & CEO, who was passionate about access to quality education for all. Congratulations to all 18 of this year’s grant recipients!

Learn more through the link in our bio.

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College Possible, an A Better Chicago portfolio investment, kicked off another exciting week of AmeriCorps Welcome Weeks!

Every year, AmeriCorps service members serve through College Possible where they guide students through vital college admission milestones, offer near-peer mentorship, and connect individuals to crucial resources.

To learn more follow 👉 @CollegePossible

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