Chicago Booth Welcomes the 2026 Edwardson Civic Scholars

This fall, the University of Chicago Booth School of Business welcomes six rising social sector leaders working across fields including environmental justice, philanthropy, education, space exploration, and conservation as the newest cohort of Edwardson Civic Scholars.

Designed to support emerging leaders in social impact, the Edwardson Civic Scholars Program offers full-tuition scholarships to Evening MBA and Weekend MBA students committed to public- or social-sector careers. Launched in 2016, the program was renamed in May 2025 in recognition of $14 million in gift commitments from University of Chicago Emeritus Trustee John A. Edwardson, MBA ’72, and Fran Edwardson.

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 thrilled to welcome yet another 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. “These students are leaders in fields from healthcare to conservation, and their tenacity and unwavering dedication are truly inspiring. They will be great additions to the program and to Booth as a whole.”

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.

“This year’s scholars are impressive public and social sector leaders who have dedicated themselves to solving complex challenges in the civic sector,” said George Wu, the John P. and Lillian A. Gould Professor of Behavioral Science and faculty codirector of the Edwardson Civic Scholars Program. “We are deeply thankful to John and Fran Edwardson for their generous gift, which allows us to continue developing these leaders who will drive meaningful impact locally and globally.”

This year’s incoming students join 16 returning Edwardson Civic Scholars. To date, 62 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 2026 Cohort

Libia Bianibi, Chicago
Deputy Director, Building Equity & Alignment for Environmental Justice

Asia Canady, Chicago
Senior Program and Partnerships Manager, The Hunter Family Foundation

Valencia Koker, Chicago
Senior Vice President and Executive Director, City Year Chicago

Lane Painter, Washington, DC
Operations Specialist, Mars Exploration Program, NASA 

Charlene Simonson, La Grange Park, Illinois
Conservation Portfolio Director, Great Plains Division, The Nature Conservancy

Katie Thiede, Chicago
Cofounder and Executive Director, ICAN!