Chicago firms take time out to discuss career opportunities with CHA colleges scholars
Press contacts:
Office of Communications – Chicago Housing Authority
Molly Sullivan: (312) 786-3344; msullivan@thecha.org
Matthew Aguilar: (312) 935-2646; maguilar@thecha.org
CHICAGO (Jan. 9, 2019): Chicago Housing Authority college scholars discussed career opportunities with 19 big-name firms Tuesday at “Take Flight: Staying the Course” at DLA Piper law firm.
“Take Flight: Staying the Course” is a winter check-in event designed to help CHA students in college stay connected with those who provide internship and employment opportunities.
The firms spoke to the students about their careers and offered counsel in a networking session on how to achieve their dreams and stay afloat in the college world – financially and otherwise.
The students were CHA scholarship winners and previous participants of CHA’s “Take Flight: College Send-Off,” which takes place every August.
Among the firms that participated were:
- Kellogg’s
- First Eagle Bank
- America Needs You (ANY)
- Bed Bath & Beyond
- Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois
- BMO Harris Bank
- Cabrera Capital Markets
- Career Builder
- Chicago Bulls
- CHA
- JenCare Senior Medical Center
- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Academy of Social Justice
- Ann & Robert Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago
- Lyric Opera Chicago
- Olenick
- Peoples Gas
- RSM
- Rush University Medical Center
- Walmart
Last year, Kierra Russell attended “Take Flight: Staying the Course” - after some encouragement.
“I wasn’t going to go; my mom made me go,” she said. “And then at the end of the program, I was walking around, talking to different people and I went up to the BMO Harris table. They asked whether I could email them my resume, and I said I could do you one better: I have one right here.”
The next week, Russell had a job. She started as a Retail Relationship Banker on Feb. 16, 2018. She’s a teller and a banker. She encouraged others to take advantage of the resources CHA offers, and to stay positive.
She spoke to the students about her experience.
CHA would like to thank DLA Piper for hosting this event.
This event is underwritten by CHA’s non-profit partner, Springboard to Success.