On Oct. 11, 100 Black Men of Chicago (100BMC) held their 23rd Annual College Scholarship Fair at UIC Isadore and Sadie Dorin Forum. 100 Black Men of Chicago is a Chicago-based organization that focuses on assisting young Black men and women on their educational journey to colleges and trade schools. According to the 100 Black Men of Chicago, they provide support “in the areas of mentoring, education, health & wellness, and economic empowerment.”
The concept originally developed in New York in 1963 when a group of young African-American men sought ways to improve the conditions of their communities. Adopting the name “100 Black Men, Inc.” as a sign of solidarity, they went on to build and develop a program to ensure the successful futures of young people. 100BMC claims their key objective of “closing the achievement gap between African American youth and their peers academically, health wise, and with wealth accumulation”.
Lindsay Leverson, a H-F counselor who attended the event, believes that scholarship fairs give students the opportunity to learn more about financial aid opportunities they don’t have to personally seek out, especially when they offer on-site scholarships. As she didn’t have the amount of opportunities students have now, she believes that students should take advantage of how much events like these can help them in the long run.
The college fair featured more than 20 colleges and universities including out-of-state schools such as Princeton University, University of Michigan Ann-Arbor and Vanderbilt University, as well as many in-state schools like Illinois State University, Northern Illinois University and the University of Illinois Chicago.
Families from and around the Chicagoland area came to learn and hear about scholarships and financial aid opportunities for students for the upcoming 2026-2027 school year, including college-specific scholarships and foundations like the United Negro College Fund and 100 Black Women of Chicago. Those who scanned their codes could sign up to hear updates and additional information from universities they are interested in through StriveScan, the exclusive provider for student scanning at events like this. Break-out workshops were also available if students had questions about specific topics.
The college fair was a huge success for students to be able to communicate one-on-one with college admissions representatives and learn more about the financial aid opportunities available to those less fortunate. The 100 Black Men of Chicago encourages all young Black scholars to take part in and share the programs and events they hold because they are one of the many resources that are available to help improve the lives of those who need it.
