The CHICAGO Initiative

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Special Gifts and Pledges

Special gifts and pledges made during the Chicago Initiative can be directed to faculty support, student aid and enrichment, or the University’s community programs. The following is a list of naming gift opportunities for the campaign.


Faculty Support

Read more about the University’s Faculty Support campaign goal.

During the Chicago Initiative, the University needs to secure $144 million in support of endowed professorships, salaries, and research costs. Naming gift opportunities for faculty support include:

Deanship: $5M - $10M

Provides recognition for University Deans; funding level to be determined by the President. Endowment fund can be use in conjunction with honors already awarded to individual dean, specifically named professorships

Professorship: $2M

Awarded to recognize senior faculty of distinction. Fund does not provide research stipend or award; donors may establish separate fund for these purposes at level of $100K and above.

Scientific Research Initiation Fund: $1.25M

Provides funds for start-up support of faculty research in the sciences

Junior Faculty Research Fellowship: $1M

Funds provide supplementary support (research leave) to exceptionally promising junior faculty to complete significant research projects

Collegiate Assistant Professors: $1M

Funds provide partial support for salaries for non-tenure track College faculty

Faculty Research & Travel Fund: $500K

To be used by faculty members for research and travel


Student Aid and Enrichment

Read more about the University’s Student Aid and Enrichment campaign goal.

The Chicago experience is unique and it does not come cheaply. Funding the University’s financial-aid commitments requires a $100 million in endowed undergraduate aid and $189 million for graduate aid, for a total student aid goal of $289 million. Naming gift opportunities for student aid and enrichment include:

Presidential Fellowship: $1M

Offered as the University’s most prestigious and selective graduate fellowship, fund provides full tuition, stipend, summer stipend and health insurance for five years

Presidential Scholarship Fund: $1M

Provides assistance to needy undergraduates with the highest level of academic achievement

Distinguished Graduate Fellowship: $600K

Supports stipend and partial tuition for highly qualified graduate student, offered at time of admission for four years.

Century Scholarship: $500K

Provides partial tuition to meet grant need for several undergraduates for one year

Graduate Research Fund: $100K

Provides special research support for outstanding graduate student

General Scholarship Fund: $100K

Provides partial tuition for one undergraduate for one year

Internship Fund: $100K

Funds internship for one undergraduate

Foreign Language Acquisition Grant Fund: $100K

Funds language grants for two College students for one summer

Pooled Scholarship Fund: No mimimum

Provides undergraduate financial aid through a fund supported by many donors


Community: The University’s Partner

Read more about the University’s Community campaign goal.

In the remaining years of the Chicago Initiative, the University seeks to raise a minimum of $50 million in support of community initiatives, including $25 million in endowment funds for the Urban Education Initiative, $10 million to endow the Collegiate Scholars program, $10 million to support the Center for the Study or Race, Politics, and Culture, and $5 million for additional improvements in the surrounding neighborhoods. Naming gift opportunities in support of community initiatives include:

Charter School Endowment: $5M

Endows a University-sponsored charter school operated by the Center for Urban School Improvement

Committee of Education Professorship: $2M

Provides funds to establish a professorship in the Committee of Education and the School of Social Service Administration

Fund for Visiting Scholars: $2M

Endows a Visiting Scholar/Faculty member on the Committee of Education, the School of Social Service Administration, and the Consortium on Chicago School Research

Research Fellowship: $1.5M

Endows a research associate/fellow for the Committee on Education, the School of Social Service Administration, the Center for Urban School Improvement, and the Consortium on Chicago School Research

Fieldwork Stipend Fund: $1M

Supports fieldwork stipends for students at the School of Social Service Administration who conduct their internships in schools or in community agencies working in partnership with the schools

Chicago Public Schools Scholarship Fund: $1M

Provides full tuition scholarship at the College for one Chicago Public School graduate

More Information
For more information on making a special gift or pledge, please contact:

Noel Salinger (AM'80)
Associate Vice President
Development and Alumni Relations
(773) 702-3255
n-salinger@uchicago.edu

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