Childhood condition led resident to nursing – and CHA/S2S Scholarship

CHICAGO (Jan. 24, 2022) – As a young girl, Ashley Chapman suffered from chronic stomach pain. Doctors couldn’t figure out the issue. But a visit to a children’s hospital put an end of her two-year ordeal and began a journey to her dream job.

“It wasn’t a doctor who diagnosed my issue, it was the nurse,” Chapman said. “I knew right then and there I wanted to be a nurse when I grew up.”

She’s almost there, thanks in part to the Chicago Housing Authority (CHA)/Springboard to Success (S2S) Scholarship that helped her not once, but twice, with college finances. She is a junior at Chamberlain University and due to graduate next year.

The application period for the 2022-2023 CHA/S2S Scholarship is now open. And, new this year, there are now 125 scholarships of $2,000 apiece.

The CHA/S2S Scholarship is available to current CHA public housing residents or Housing Choice Voucher participants who have at least a 2.0 GPA and are high school seniors or college undergraduates. Awards are based on applicants' academic merit, community involvement and essay content. Applicants must plan to attend an accredited two-or-four-year college or university in the U.S. in the Fall of 2022. CHA’s nonprofit partner, Springboard to Success (S2S) supports the scholarship.

Chapman said the scholarship helped her with apartment and school expenses. She encourages eligible CHA resident students to apply.

“I would not have been able to start without it,” Chapman said

“I could use that scholarship right now, I can tell you that. School is expensive.”

The deadline for the application period is midnight, Monday, May 16, 2022. Go to http://thecha.org/scholarship for more information.

You can help us make more scholarships available for CHA residents by making a tax deductible donation to S2S at www.s2schi.org/donate.