October 2020 Lilly Cruz
“I grew up thinking that I was inferior, that we were less and here are these intrepid, brilliant revolutionaries who thought differently and did incredible things. There’s a fire that…
September 2020 ASU+GSV Summit
For the first time, the ASU+GSV Summit featured an all Surge Institute Alumni panel: Katie Boody (KC19); Melissa Connelly (CHI15); Candace Moore (CHI15); Randal Seriguchi, Jr. (OAK18). The panel was…
October 2020 Chanelle Bell
2019 Surge Chicago Alum, Chanelle Bell, has been promoted to Managing Director, Public and Community Affairs at Teach For America Chicago-NWI. In her new role, she will manage a portfolio…
September 2020 Charles Cole
Educate78 and Energy Convertors have launched The People’s Literacy Fund, a new pilot program that will award grants between $500 and $5,000 to members of the community who are helping…
September 2020 DuJuan Smith
2015 Surge Chicago Alum, DuJuan Smith, has been named a 2020 Diversifying Higher Education Faculty in Illinois Fellow at Illinois State University. Read more about the list of recipients HERE.
September 2020 Nicole Beechum
September 2020 “Even before the upheaval of the last several months, our education system was in dire need of a shift in how to define success for our young people.”…
Welcome the 2021 Surge Chicago Cohort!
During this time that we are in, Surge has continued to be resolute regarding our mission to empower and elevate leaders of color given the widespread impact the COVID-19 pandemic…
Naomi Wilfred
Naomi Wilfred is a Teacher at Chicago Public Schools – National Teachers Academy. “Surge is an opportunity to make real change. I am excited to work with like-minded educators and creating…
Ángel L. Vélez
Ángel L. Vélez is a Research Associate at the Office of Community College Research and Leadership – University of Illinois. “The Surge Fellowship creates the space to interrogate and investigate…
Jessica Sullivan-Wilson
Jessica Sullivan-Wilson is the Director, Community Affairs at Teach for America, Greater Chicago-Northwest Indiana. “I want to be in a space where I am allowed the opportunity to learn, create,…