Aaron Kuecker, chief executive officer of Hope Chicago, met with university and community leaders and students on May 16. (Photo by Hope Chicago)
March 19, 2026
Hope Scholars pursue academic success at SIU Carbondale
Southern Illinois University Carbondale hosted Hope Chicago for Community Days on March 16, connecting students, faculty, Carbondale leaders, and local businesses.
Hope Chicago is a non-profit organization that offers debt-free secondary education scholarships to low-income and first-generation students at five high schools within the Chicago Public Schools system.
SIU Carbondale partnered with Hope Chicago in the fall of 2022 and currently has 178 scholars enrolled at the university.
“We have amazing partners here at SIU,” said Aaron Kuecker, chief executive officer of Hope Chicago. “They have stepped up. They meet our students where they’re at and help them pursue success.”
On-campus supports offered to Hope Scholars such as living in the same residence hall and wraparound services help students succeed in their academics. This includes workshops on conducting research, writing papers, and using computer software like artificial intelligence.
“I think the biggest thing is teaching students how they learn,” said Paul Frazier, vice chancellor for anti-racism, diversity, equity and inclusion. “Then, understanding this is a transition from high school.”
The event kicked off March 15 with a pizza dinner for Hope Chicago scholars to share their college experiences. On March 16, Hope Chicago spent the morning with a local business to explore post-graduation pathways. The non-profit’s goal is to reach more local employers as potential partners to establish internships, sponsored college degrees, and career options. The afternoon session included roundtable discussions with SIU faculty, local lawmakers and civic leaders, including Carbondale Mayor Carolin Harvey.
To date, Hope Chicago has invested $5 million in SIU Carbondale and the surrounding community.
This May, the first group of Hope Scholars to attend SIU Carbondale will graduate, with four out of the five scholars planning to pursue graduate degrees. One of those students is Journey Short, a journalism major and the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute’s 2025 Gene Callhan Intern. Short plans to pursue a master’s degree in political science through a fellowship at the institute.
“I was really on the run to prove that Hope Chicago made a good decision to support me,” Short said. “I think Hope Chicago and SIU gave me space to breathe and to find myself.”