History

College Bound, Inc., a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation, was founded in 1996 by five young professionals from Highland Park who wanted to provide economically disadvantaged Chicago-area high school students with opportunities similar to the ones they had as young adults. The founders sought a mechanism to pool their collective personal and professional resources and make a lasting contribution to the successful development of Chicago-area high school students. In doing so, they embarked on a mission to build an organization that empowers Chicago's low-income youth and sets them on an even playing field.

The College Bound founders knew that even students whose family income was above the poverty level had a significant need for funding. They also knew that many students, when confronted with the burden of large student loans, often chose to forego college entirely or chose a school that was less costly, rather than one that best fit their needs. With these factors in mind, they established College Bound to bridge the gap and allow individuals from low-income families to attend the college or university of their choice.

Since then, College Bound has joined Scholarship Chicago and Chicago Scholars to become The Chicago Scholars Foundation. More history can be found here. 

Read the full article about College Bound founders: Friends on a mission.pdf (289 KB)