CME Group and Mayor Johnson Award Star Scholarships to 25 Chicago Students Graduating to Four-Year Institutions

CHICAGO, June 26, 2024 - CME Group, the world's leading derivatives marketplace, and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson have awarded 25 City Colleges of Chicago graduates with a $5,000 scholarship towards their four-year degrees. This is the eighth consecutive year CME Group is recognizing the academic achievements of Star Scholars at City Colleges of Chicago to increase higher education opportunities for students with diverse backgrounds, building on more than three decades and more than $2 million in support for Chicago students.

"We are thankful to the CME Group for their partnership and for supporting our City Colleges of Chicago Star Scholars as they work to achieve their dream of earning a bachelor's degree," said Mayor Brandon Johnson. "By investing in our young people and providing them with the opportunity to continue their educational journeys, CME Group is setting a powerful example for the rest of the business community."

"We're pleased to continue to invest in the Star Scholars who are dedicated to their commitment to pursue a four-year degree," said CME Group Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Terry Duffy. "The Star Scholarship provides the future leaders in Chicago with opportunities to discover career opportunities in finance and other industries."

"CME Group's scholarship is helping our Star Scholars shape their life into what they want it to be. After a debt-free college experience at City Colleges, CME Group is giving these Star Scholars more choices and easing the financial burden as they continue to pursue a Bachelor's degree," said Chancellor Juan Salgado, City Colleges of Chicago.

The Star Scholarship program at City Colleges of Chicago has helped over 16,500 Chicago Public Schools and Big Shoulders Fund high school graduates pursue their associate degree debt-free. During the academic year 2023-2024, 932 Star Scholars completed their associates degree, making up over one-fourth of the graduating class of 2024.

Scholarships support these students in achieving a bachelor's degree in accounting, business management, math, computer science, finance or economics at one of the Chicago Star Partner colleges and universities.

The notable 25 CME Group Star Partnership Mayoral Scholarship recipients were selected from 343 Star Scholars who completed their associate degree in Spring 2024 with a GPA of 3.0 or higher. Notably, 100% of this year's recipients intend to transfer to one of the 26 Star university partners in Fall 2024 to pursue a bachelor's degree.

CME Group joined the Star Scholars movement in 2017 after a long partnership with the City of Chicago on initiatives to help make college more affordable and attainable for CPS graduates. Dating back to 1986 when CME Group and the City of Chicago launched the CME Group Mayoral Award for Student Achievement, CME Group has supported high-achieving CPS students in pursuit of college degrees, resulting in thousands of annual scholarships and more than $2 million of financial support.

This year's award recipients were recognized by Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, City Colleges of Chicago's Chancellor Juan Salgado and CME Group Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Terry Duffy at a celebratory luncheon and education seminar on Wednesday, June 26, 2024 at CME Group headquarters in Chicago.

For more information on the Star Scholarship at City Colleges of Chicago, visit www.ccc.edu/starscholarship.