CME Group, the world’s leading and most diverse derivatives marketplace, and Mayor Rahm Emanuel presented 25 Chicago Star Scholars with scholarships to fund their continued education at a four-year college or university. Once students graduate from City Colleges of Chicago (CCC) with an associate degree, they will receive a $5,000 scholarship over two years, ensuring more students from all economic backgrounds can access a viable pathway to higher education.

“The Star Scholarship is about ensuring Chicago’s hard-working students can pursue the high-quality education they deserve,” said Mayor Rahm Emanuel. “CME Group recognizes these students have drive, determination and passion, which is why we are helping them achieve their dream of earning a degree.”
“If we want to advance our global economy in the future we must invest in students today,” said CME Group Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Terry Duffy. “We’re very pleased to be able to support these talented students in pursuing higher education in our city.”
CME Group selected 25 students to receive scholarships that will support them in furthering their college career with a bachelor’s degree in accounting, management, math, computer science (IT), finance or economics at one of the Chicago Star Partner colleges and universities in the fall.
CME Group joined the Star Scholars movement in 2017 after a long partnership with the City of Chicago on initiatives designed to help make college more affordable and attainable for CPS graduates. In 1986, CME Group and the City of Chicago launched the CME Group Mayoral Award for Student Achievement, which has awarded more than $2.1 million to thousands of high-achieving CPS students in pursuit of college degrees.
“CME Group is making a visionary investment in our Star Scholars – it is an investment in the future leadership of our city,” said City Colleges of Chicago Chancellor Juan Salgado. “I want to thank CME Group for both its financial support of our Scholars and its record of connecting students to coveted work-based learning opportunities in elite trading firms across the city.”
Now in its fourth year, the Chicago Star Scholarship program at CCC has helped more than 6,400 CPS graduates attend college tuition-free. Star Scholars are diverse, representing more than 75 Chicago ZIP codes and more than 200 CPS high schools. Nearly 50 percent of first time, full time Star Scholars who started in Fall 2015 graduated from City Colleges within three years, close to double the national average for community colleges.
To be eligible for the CME Group Award for Star Scholars Achievement, students must be graduating this May with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above and a major in accounting, management, math, computer science (IT), finance or economics.
For more information on the Chicago Star Scholarship at City Colleges of Chicago, visit www.ccc.edu/starscholarship.​