Scholarships

Dear Scholarship Applicant,

Due to the impact of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) on high schools and colleges nationwide, we are extending our Scholarship Application Deadlines to:

August 31, 2020 for Ora Lee Sanders & Cirilo McSween applicants.

May 21, 2020 for Aramark Trades applicants.

We hope that this extension will give you more time to request a copy of your official transcript. Should the deadlines need to be extended again, we will update our website accordingly.

PUSH EXCEL SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

The PUSH Excel Scholarship Program was created to assist young people who are qualified but lack the financial resources to attend college. The goal of the program is to develop servant leadership potential in the scholarship students and encourage a spirit of social justice and social change.

College is the key to economic freedom for all Americans, yet a college degree is becoming less and less affordable for the average student in the U.S. Over the past several years, PUSH Excel has awarded over three million dollars to deserving students enrolled in colleges and universities across the country. PUSH Excel Scholars attend a variety of institutions and we take pride in the fact that ninety percent of PUSH Excel Scholars graduate from college.

PUSH Excel makes a number of awards each year through three named scholarships: Jesse Jackson Fellows (scholarship applications returns 2021), Ora Lee Sanders, and Cirilo McSween. Scholarship recipients will be selected from the pool of applicants who apply for a particular scholarship and meet the minimum criteria provided in the guidelines. There are no geographical limitations–applicants are selected from across the nation.

Applicants should apply for the scholarship that best fits their particular situation. You may apply for only one scholarship in a particular year and, if awarded a renewable scholarship, may not apply for a different scholarship in subsequent years. Applications will be evaluated by a committee of educators and corporate executives.

Staff or board members of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition or its affiliates and children or immediate family members of staff or board members are not eligible to participate in the PUSH Excel Scholarship Program.

Scholarship recipients are required to participate in the scholarship event at the Rainbow PUSH annual conference and will agree to cooperate with the scholarship committee to promote the PUSH Excel Scholarship Program by participating in various events and public relations activities. There are also a number of additional requirements PUSH Excel asks scholarship recipients to agree to regarding their involvement with the organization that will be explained when a scholarship offer is made.

Cirilo McSween

Cirilo McSween Scholarship Sponsored by New York Life

NOTE: Must be Incoming Freshman and Business or Accounting Majors.

The Cirilo McSween (New York Life) Scholarship is awarded to students who are majoring in business or accounting, achieve academic success, and play an active role in their communities. Scholarships are given in honor of New York Life’s first African American agent, Cirilo A. McSween, who became an agent in 1957. Mr. McSween, who passed away in 2008, was a member of Rainbow PUSH Coalition’s board of directors, a renowned civil rights activist who worked closely with Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and a noted businessperson. The Cirilo McSween (New York Life) Scholarship is a $5,000.00 award and may be renewed depending on the student’s ability to maintain a 3.0 GPA and depending on the student’s undergraduate status (not including a collegiate status of 5 years or more). The award will be paid directly to the college or university the student will be attending.

More Info

Ora Lee Sanders

Ora Lee Sanders Scholarship Sponsored through PUSH Excel by various sponsors

The Ora Lee Sanders Scholarship is awarded to students who are majoring in any college-approved major, achieve academic success, and play an active role in their communities. Scholarships are given in honor of Ms. Ora Lee Sanders, an educator who believed that all children should have the opportunity to attend college regardless of having a high grade point average and/or test scores. The Ora Lee Sanders Scholarship is a $2,500.00 award and may be renewed depending on the student’s ability to maintain a 2.5 GPA and depending on the student’s undergraduate status (not including a collegiate status of 5 years or more). The award will be paid directly to the college or university the student will be attending.

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Aramark Trades

The PUSH Excel / Aramark Trades Scholarship is awarded to Chicago Public School (CPS) students who are planning to pursue careers in the building trades and/or facilities management. With the growth of careers in the trades industries, students have more opportunities to expand their educational pathways to prepare them for high demand jobs of the future. To that end, Aramark, in partnership with PUSH Excel and Kennedy-King College, a member of the City Colleges of Chicago, has developed this scholarship to provide financial assistance for graduating CPS seniors interested in continuing their educational advancement.

More Info