The University of Illinois-Chicago (UIC) and the College of Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) is collaborating with ChiS&E in developing a pipeline of students from CPS into science and engineering programs at the University, among the most competitive in the nation.

In May, 2014 at the onset of this partnership, 5th grade ChiS&E students from 16 Chicago Public Schools and their parents attended classes taught by mathematics professors on the Urbana-Champaign campus of the University. Over the following month, UIUC mathematics professors traveled to Chicago to teach students and parents at UIC; then provided two learning sessions for them via video conferencing on the Chicago campus.

University of Illinois President, spoke on April 25th to a packed house of ChiS&E parents of K-6th grade students at the spring orientation and registration for families. The orientation took place on the Chicago campus. President Killeen’s talk was entitled “Start Early and Never Give Up.” That philosophy embodies ChiS&E’s own as well as the pillars of the UIUC College of Engineering’s strategic plan to broaden diversity in its programs, which include sustained involvement through the K-12 years, parent engagement, emphasis on math, and connection to the campus. In addition to ChiS&E’s involvement with the College of Engineering, the partnership with UIUC involves the departments of Mathematics and Physics and the College of Education.