RESOLUTION FOR THE BOARD MEETING OF AUGUST 3, 2017
Title
RESOLUTION sponsored by the Board of Commissioners recognizing the University of Illinois at Chicago’s CHANCE Program (As Revised)
Body
WHEREAS, in 2004, the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) created the CHANCE program in an effort to assist UIC in the recruitment and retention of underrepresented populations; and
WHEREAS, the CHANCE Program was designed to help students meet challenges in the areas of academic preparation, study habits and skills, motivation and coping strategies; and
WHEREAS, during its 13 years, the CHANCE Program has successfully graduated 660 students, including 596 bachelor’s degree recipients; 53 master’s degree recipients and 11 doctoral degree recipients; and
WHEREAS, in 2011, UIC desired to expose students of color from surrounding high schools to the college experience, and partnered with the Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) and the Ameresco Corporation to create the CHANCE for CHAnge Summer Youth S.T.E.M. Camp to introduce 25 sophomore and junior students to careers in S.T.E.M.; and
WHEREAS, to date, the six-week CHANCE Camp has afforded more than 200 students, residing in CHA, access to the UIC campus, including the opportunity to live in a dormitory for one week, STEM academic programming and a small monetary award; and
WHEREAS, Robert Bennett, Devion Brown, Alaya Burton, Brandi Dixon, Nyjia Elliott, Demarcus Gist, Ni’Sierra Henning, Lawrence Holloway, Trevon Johnson, Dejah Lang, Delisha Lindsey, Sheniah McBride, Jacoby Moore, Antwan Pelmer, Kemari Richardson, and Molly Robinson participated in the 2017 “CHANCE for CHAnge Summer Youth S.T.E.M. Camp” program; and
WHEREAS, the “CHANCE for CHAnge” students and Commissioner Kari K. Steele toured the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago’s Stickney Water Reclamation Plant on July 21, 2017, where Commissioner Steele and MWRD staff encouraged the students to consider STEM careers;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that we, the Board of Commissioners of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, on behalf of ourselves and staff, commend the University of Illinois at Chicago for the successful implementation of the CHANCE Program and their partnership program with the Chicago Housing Authority and the Ameresco Corporation; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this Resolution be spread upon the permanent Record of proceedings of the Board of Commissioners of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, and that a copy of same, suitably engrossed, be presented to the University of Illinois at Chicago and partners.
Dated: August 3, 2017
Approved: MARIYANA T. SPYROPOULOS, President; BARBARA J. MCGOWAN, Vice President; FRANK AVILA, Chairman, Committee on Finance; TIMOTHY BRADFORD; MARTIN J. DURKAN; JOSINA MORITA; DEBRA SHORE; KARI K. STEELE; DAVID J. WALSH; Commissioners of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago
Approved as to Form and Legality: Susan T. Morakalis, Acting General Counsel, STM:aw