IEF Programs

The IEF empowers our scholars to excel in community college and beyond by providing them with supports that are critical to their academic and professional success. The IEF Signature Scholarship Program, our cornerstone program, offers a comprehensive set of student support services to low-income community, highly motivated college students, including:

• Academic advising
• Tutoring
• One-on-one mentoring
• Professional development workshops
• Financial literacy training
• Civic engagement training
• Tuition assistance and stipends
• One-of-a-kind professional events to help scholars refine their professional skills
• Intensive staff supports
• Personal coaching

This comprehensive system of support enables our scholars to succeed, often against overwhelming odds. IEF Scholars have a 90% annual retention rate and graduate in an average of 2.5 years. IEF Alumni are working in high demand fields including nursing, medical technology and IT, and are earning living wages.

IEF Scholars who have demonstrated academic excellence during their tenure as community college students are supported by the IEF with financial assistance to complete their bachelor’s degrees at four-year colleges and universities. IEF Transfer Scholars are currently pursuing degrees in the sciences, education, business, and engineering at colleges and universities across the state, including the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT), Saint Xavier University, University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), DePaul University, and Northwestern University. Scholars are supported with up to $3200/year for two years at transfer institutions, and continue to have access to the IEF’s wide-ranging academic, professional and personal supports.