Greenhouse Scholars welcomes Chef Ed Sura as the featured chef at The Community Table on June 10, 2017 in Lake Forest, IL.

Chef Sura developed his appetite for cooking while growing up on a farm in Michigan. This sparked a deep appreciation of approachable, rustic dishes full of fresh, local ingredients.

Once in Chicago, Chef Sura built an impressive resume including some of Chicago’s most preeminent restaurants such as Michelin-starred Graham Elliot Bistro and his most recent venture at the acclaimed Perennial Virant.

In 2016, Sura was honored as a Semifinalist for the James Beard Foundation’s Rising Chef Award. Chef Sura is currently Executive Chef of the Park Hyatt Chicago’s NoMI Kitchen.

Tickets for this exclusive event are limited, click HERE to get yours now.

Noshin, University of Illinois Class of 2019, became interested in medicine during a visit to her birth country, Bangladesh, while in high school. Disconcerted by the substantial difference in medical technology between her homeland and the United States, Noshin decided to major in biomedical engineering, specifically cellular and tissue engineering, with a goal of using her skill set to narrow the increasing gap in healthcare availability between developing and developed countries.

At University of Illinois Noshin is a member of the Biomedical Engineering Society, a student group that organizes presentations for the school’s annual Engineering Open House. Noshin is leading a team of eight in one of the most highly anticipated presentations of the year, titled “Ghost Heart: The Future of Personalized Organs.”

The objective of the ‘Ghost Heart’ project is to introduce the biomedical advancement of personalized organ transplants—stripping organs of their original cells and reseeding them with the cells of the receiving patient to reduce the threat of bodily rejection—and inspire younger students to engage in the STEM fields.

To donate to this project and read about other Flex Funding projects, visit flexfunding.greenhousescholars.org/

Join Greenhouse Scholars for Glass Half Full, an evening of food, wine, and giving back on Friday, May 5th in Denver.

You will sample fine wines and craft cocktails, savor unique culinary creations, and bid on some once-in-a-lifetime auction experiences such as a private “Istituto Frasca per il Vino” wine class for 12 taught by Frasca Food & Wine’s Master Sommelier, Bobby Stuckey.

Guests of the wine class will be submersed in a two-hour intensive lesson, complete with workbooks and a specially curated wine flight. This is a can’t miss opportunity to learn in an intimate setting from one of the wine industry’s greatest and most approachable teachers; great for wine novices and experts alike!

The exclusive Glass Half Full event — our only fundraising event in Denver — helps to fund the incoming Class of 2021. Click HERE to reserve your tickets now to support the extraordinary young leaders of Greenhouse Scholars.

Scholars rely on Greenhouse Scholars’ Flex Funding to fund life changing projects and experiences that support their leadership, impact, personal growth, or educational endeavors. These are important experiences that our Scholars might otherwise not have the financial resources to pursue. 

We are excited to announce the launch of our new crowdfunding platform so that you, and your friends, can help us determine which Flex Funding projects to support and allow us to support a greater number and variety of projects in the future. 

Visit flexfunding.greenhousescholars.org to read about current projects, like “Aiding the ROYAL Leaders Conference” by Jose, Class of 2019, and donate now. 

This Sunday marks Greenhouse Scholars’ first annual Peer Day in which Scholars gather together in small groups across the country to celebrate and support one another.

George, Class of 2017, and Will, Class of 2018, who both attend University of Colorado, Colorado Springs are just one of the many examples of the significant bonds our Scholars forge.

Both are the first in the families to attend college, and both are driven by intense desires to become physicians.

George, a senior, was recently accepted to several prestigious medical schools, and he is about to make a decision for where he would like to attend. As someone farther along on this journey, he has taken the time to help Will, a junior, navigate his potential choices, prepare for the MCAT, and also in reviewing Will’s med school applications. George’s guidance and time have been invaluable for Will.

For Will’s part, when George asked him why he wanted to be a physician, Will responded: “Because I want to be a superhero!” His genuine response resonated deeply with George, as it caused him to reflect on his own dreams. George realized the realities of growing up can sometimes overshadow the initial, important aspirations you have to act selflessly in order to shape the world that benefits us all. Will’s comment was a refreshing reminder to not lose sight of George’s own ideals and provided a welcomed rejuvenation.

We could not be prouder of these two amazing individuals, and we are grateful this program enabled them to not only cross one another’s paths, but to positively shape that path as well.

Foundation for Global Scholars, a nonprofit that inspires and equips young adults to tackle global challenges through international experience, leadership skills, and cultural competence, has pledged to give Greenhouse Scholars $300,000 over the next three years—the largest gift in the organization’s history.

These funds will be used to support education initiatives and impact projects on an international scale. Along with this donation, Foundation for Global Scholars Co-Founders Sheila Houston and Cynthia Banks will be personally involved with the organization as volunteers, and Cynthia Banks has joined the Greenhouse Scholars Colorado Development and Advisory Board.

“We are extremely grateful for this gift and are excited for the many opportunities that will be made possible due to Sheila’s and Cynthia’s generosity,” said Pete Burridge, President and CEO of Greenhouse Scholars. “We look forward to collaborating with Sheila and Cynthia and the exceptional young leaders in our program to identify high-impact projects and initiatives that will drive positive change in low-income communities throughout the world.”

Cynthia Banks adds: “We are extremely impressed with the Greenhouse Scholars mission and with their capability to enact real change among young adults through education and community service. We have met their scholars and clearly see the impact of their programs and services. The Foundation for Global Scholars is honored to support this organization.”

Greenhouse Scholars congratulates the first Scholars to become Fulbright Fellowship recipients; Mesert, Class of 2011, Michelle, Class of 2016, and Jessica, Class of 2016. The Fulbright is one of the most prestigious awards in the world.

Meseret, Class of 2011, will use her Fulbright Fellowship to research the persistence of STEM education for girls in Ethiopia (the fastest growing country in Africa) as part of her thesis for her PhD in Education. Through the support of Greenhouse Scholars’ Flex Funding program, Mesert had the opportunity to do a short-term research project in Ethiopia about healthcare non-governmental organizations. That transformative research experience was her her starting point for further study of Ethiopian health and education systems in her MA program, and now her doctoral study.

Michelle, Class of 2016, is currently residing in her mother’s native Poland where she is an English Teaching Assistant for university-level students. Growing up, Michelle was immersed in Polish heritage, language, and culture—a unique contrast to her father’s Mexican heritage. She plans to use her experience to help write her thesis, the focus being on nuanced identity and its relationship to community-building, which are subject matters she relates to personally. Michelle’s longterm career goal is to become a Professor of Sociology.

Jessica, Class of 2016, the daughter of an Muslim, Afghani father and a Catholic, Venezuelan mother is currently studying Afghan refugees on the border of Tajikistan. Coming from a family of refugees, Jessica saw the negative consequences that war had on her own family’s mental health, which shaped her desire to address and change care and treatment for mental health issues.

Founded by Senator J. William Fulbright in 1946, competitively selected American citizens may become eligible for scholarships to study, conduct research, or exercise their talents abroad; and citizens of other countries may qualify to do the same in the United States of America. The program was established to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and other countries through the exchange of persons, knowledge, and skills.

Congratulations to Greenhouse Scholar Alumni, Elli Legerski, who’s film Snatchers showed at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival.

Elli spent two summers interning with Lee Daniels Entertainment, an opportunity she was connected to through Greenhouse Scholars. Elli credits her internship experiences for starting her career as a Film Producer.

To read more about Snatchers visit: http://www.sundance.org/projects/snatchers

Join Greenhouse Scholars and Illinois’ most inspiring and extraordinary young leaders for The Community Table on June 10, 2017.

Featuring a three course meal from one of Chicagoland’s top chefs, you will savor a delicious and inspiring evening in a unique, intimate farm setting.

Tickets are limited—get yours now at ghscommunitytable.org/tickets/

Greenhouse Scholars welcomed 6 new Development and Advisory Board members, nearly doubling the size of its Colorado board membership.

The Development and Advisory Board is a group of community leaders who have pledged to help our organization identify and leverage fundraising opportunities, in addition to making their own generous personal contributions.  Members of this board are active in helping organize fundraising events and rallying other prominent community leaders to our cause. This board greatly improves our ability to raise funds, build a dependable, lasting foundation for our program’s growth, and contribute to the success of our Scholars.

The 2016 Development and Advisory Board additions include:

• Cynthia Banks, CEO New World Vistas
• Drew Esson, Director at Digital Globe
• David Howson, Former President, Zayo Group
• Michael Hora, CEO of Hora Enterprises
• Rick Schuham, Executive Vice President at Savills Studley (formerly a member of our Illinois Development and Advisory Board)
• Jarrod Tisdell, Vice President of Implementation, Zayo Group

To read more about all of our board members, click HERE.