Chicago Booth Welcomes New Cohort of Edwardson Civic Scholars

This fall, five rising social sector leaders joined the University of Chicago Booth School of Business as part of the Edwardson Civic Scholars Program.

Designed to support emerging leaders in social impact, the Edwardson Civic Scholars Program offers full-tuition scholarships to a select group of Booth MBA students who work in the government or nonprofit sectors. Launched in 2016, the program was renamed in May in recognition of $14 million in gift commitments from University of Chicago Trustee John A. Edwardson, MBA ’72, and Fran Edwardson.

Each year, the highly selective Edwardson Civic Scholars Program welcomes a cohort of Evening MBA and Weekend MBA students who are committed to impact-driven public or nonprofit sector careers. During their time at Booth, Edwardson Civic Scholars support one another’s leadership journeys and contribute their social impact expertise to the broader Booth community.

“We are honored to welcome such a dynamic and accomplished cohort of Edwardson Civic Scholars to Booth,” said Pradeep K. Chintagunta, the Joseph T. and Bernice S. Lewis Distinguished Service Professor of Marketing and faculty codirector of the Edwardson Civic Scholars Program. “Their diverse experiences and unwavering dedication to public and social sector leadership embody the spirit of our program. We are excited to see how their collaborative approach and innovative thinking will enrich our community and create lasting impact in the world beyond Booth.”

In addition to receiving scholarship support, Edwardson Civic Scholars engage with civic leaders and work closely with dedicated faculty advisors. They also participate in retreats, roundtable discussions, and other programs that support experiential learning, hone leadership skills, and foster collaboration.

“We are deeply grateful to John and Fran Edwardson for their extraordinary philanthropic commitment, which enables us to welcome and support another outstanding cohort of Civic Scholars,” said George Wu, the John P. and Lillian A. Gould Professor of Behavioral Science and faculty codirector of the Edwardson Civic Scholars Program. “Their gift empowers us to continue developing leaders who will drive meaningful impact across the civic sector, enriching communities locally and globally.”

This year’s incoming students join 24 returning Edwardson Civic Scholars. To date, 54 scholars have graduated from the program, accelerating their social sector leadership in areas ranging from education to healthcare to philanthropy.

For more information about the Edwardson Civic Scholars Program, contact Program Director Wai-Sinn Chan.

Edwardson Civic Scholars 2025 Cohort

Janine Franklin, Chicago
Education Portfolio Manager, Schreiber Philanthropy

Michael Michaelson, Portland, Maine
Executive Director, Progressive Pipeline

William (Will) Portnof, San Francisco
Manager, Growth Portfolio & CA RISE, REDF

Rebecca Shi, Chicago
CEO, American Business Immigration Coalition

Suzanne (Suz) Warshell, Chicago
Associate Director, Finance and Operations, Economic Security Project