Farther Foundation Mid-year Report - 2025

Mission & Vision

Farther Foundation inspires greater aspirations and achievement from students in communities beset by chronic disinvestment and systemic inequities. We provide opportunities for students to participate in life-changing educational travel experiences across the country and around the world. Our students immerse themselves in new cultures, learn and develop skills, provide community service, cultivate leadership potential, and attain personal growth.

Meet our Farther Foundation class of 2025 scholars

Thanks to our generous donors, we have increased our total scholarship giving and number of students this year by more than 60%!

This year, Farther Foundation approved more than $300,000 in scholarships to support life-changing programs for 80 deserving students!

Our students come from some of the most isolated and underserved communities in the Chicago area, but their hard work and dedication to high personal and educational achievement has earned our investment in their future.

2025 Scholar Spotlight: Justin and Kye

Justin is a high-achieving student at the Latin School. He was referred to us by his sponsors at the Daniel Murphy Scholarship Fund which engages him in college readiness programs.

Justin has chosen to participate in a cultural immersion program that travels through Italy, Slovenia, and Croatia. He is particularly interested in the varied architecture he will see.

“One interest that is crucial to me is architecture and how culture shapes the spaces we live in and interact with daily. Architecture is more than just constructing buildings—it is a reflection of history, tradition, and identity. Every design decision from the materials used to the layouts of streets illustrates a story about the people who inhabit that space. I am heavily influenced by my Mexican identity and heritage, and it shapes how I design and view cities.”

Kye is an excellent, focused, and determmined student referred to us by our colleagues at LINK Unlimited. Kye has chosen to get some practical experience about college by going to a campus program at Hampton College this summer.

“I’m honored to be part of two scholarship programs, Link Unlimited and Boys Hope Girls Hope, both of which help me afford my education and support my dreams of achieving more than I could on my own. Despite coming from a family with limited financial stability due to the lack of educational resources, I’m determined to break the cycle by excelling academically, cultivating my leadership skills, and supporting my family in the future. I’m a member of the National Honor Society, the Tri-M Music Honor Society, and have been involved in musical theater, including acting in three musicals and co-directing Chicago at my school. As a leadership scholar, I work every day to lead by example, support others, and strive to become a better version of myself. These experiences shape who I am, and they drive my ambition to make a meaningful impact in the world.”

Alumni interview: Rosario

It is always a pleasure to catch up with our program alumni, even if they have been serving on our board of directors for the past two years.

FF: When you were a high school student in 2015, You received a Farther Foundation scholarship to help you participate in a summer college campus program at Boston University. How did that experience affect your college choice and college experience?

Rosario: It was a pivotal moment for me. It was my first time experiencing life away from home, and it gave me a glimpse into the independence and diversity that comes with being on a college campus. It expanded my sense of what was possible and inspired me to aim higher in my college search.
It also made me more intentional about the kind of college experience I wanted—one where I could explore different fields, be surrounded by driven peers, and have access to a strong support network. I am still friends with one of the students I met during that summer program, which speaks to the lasting impact the experience had on both my personal and academic journey. That summer gave me the confidence to take risks, pursue leadership opportunities, and fully engage in campus life once I got to college.

FF: Tell us a little about your career path so far. 

Rosario: I graduated in 2020 during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Fortunately, I had a part-time position at a mid-sized insurance company that transitioned into a full-time role in their Human Resources department. After a year, I realized I wanted broader exposure and the opportunity to work across different industries and functions. That led me to Egon Zehnder, a global leadership advisory firm, where I have now been for four years. I specialize in supporting clients in the consumer packaged goods sector—ranging from food and beverage to beauty and personal care. It has been a dynamic and rewarding experience, and I continue to learn and grow every day. I have had the privilege of learning not only from the work, but also from the incredible peers, clients, and candidates I have partnered with—each of whom has offered unique insights, perspectives, and experiences that have deeply shaped my professional growth.

FF: You stayed connected to us at Farther Foundation and are currently wrapping up a term of service on our Board of Directors. What has being on the inside of our work meant to you? 

Rosario: It has been a truly meaningful, full-circle experience. It has been great to be part of a board where I have had the opportunity to learn and grow while giving back to an organization that played such an important role in my own journey. Reading the student scholarship applications has been especially powerful—it has reminded me of how life-changing these opportunities can be. I also enjoyed contributing to the planning of our fundraising event, which gave me a deeper appreciation for the behind-the-scenes work that makes our mission possible. Being on the inside has only strengthened my belief in the importance of expanding access and opportunity for students, and I feel proud to play a small part in that impact.

FF: You have made an exciting decision about the next phase of your life. Tell us more about what you are doing next and why. 

Rosario: I returned from Chile last summer, where I had the opportunity to support a work initiative by helping train a team of new hires. That experience sparked a realization that I was ready for a new challenge and a new chapter in my life. I have always wanted to pursue my MBA, and I began exploring programs in Europe that aligned with both my personal values and professional goals.

A friend recommended Copenhagen Business School, and after learning more about the program, meeting faculty, and speaking with alumni, I knew it was the right fit. The program’s global perspective, strong academic foundation, and emphasis on leadership deeply resonated with me. I believe it will equip me with the tools and mindset needed to take the next step in my career—ideally transitioning in-house at a consumer company. Beyond academics, I also felt a strong pull toward the city itself. I knew that living in Copenhagen and immersing myself in Scandinavian culture would play an instrumental role in my personal growth. I am excited and grateful to begin this next phase of my life, both professionally and personally.

Events - Save the date

Storyslam 2025 

Thursday, October 16, 7:00 – 10:00
Fitzgerald’s Nightclub
6615 Roosevelt Rd, Berwyn

• Hear stories of discovery, adventure and mishap told by consummate storytellers.

• Enjoy food, drink and the company of friends.

• Support our hard-working and deserving students.

Early bird discounted tickets now available

Featured storytellers include:

Diane Kastiel 

Diane is the producer and host of First Person Live. She’s a three-time winner of the Moth StorySLAM; her work has been featured on the NPR’s Moth Radio Hour, its podcast, and at Moth special events. Diane has told stories on stage at Second City, the Park West and Steppenwolf, among other Chicago theaters and many unconventional settings. Diane works with schools, libraries, community centers and homeless shelters to bring storytelling to a wider audience and leads storytelling workshops at Northwestern University. Diane is an alumna of The Second City Conservatory and the University of Chicago’s Great Books program. She also has an MBA from Northwestern University’s business school…just in case.

Michele McGuire

Singer-Songwriter and Chicago native Michele McGuire has been writing and performing music for over 15 years. She cleverly combines candid lyrics with charming stage banter and a soulful voice that will stick with you long after the show ends.    https://www.michelemcguire.com/

Lawrence Wood

Like Diane Kastiel (see above), Lawrence has won the Moth StorySLAM three times. Unlike Ms. Kastiel, he is a supervisory attorney at Legal Action Chicago, which represents people who are living in poverty. For 22 years he was a Lecturer in Law at the University of Chicago Law School, where he taught a seminar on housing and poverty law that United States Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia dismissed as “a waste of time.” After winning The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest a record-setting eight times, he wrote a book about the contest called, Your Caption Has Been Selected (St Martin’s Press, June 4, 2024). Bob Mankoff, the former cartoon editor at The New Yorker, wrote the foreward. Please buy as many copies as you can afford.

Lawrence’s book, Your Caption has been Selected is available here: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250333407/yourcaptionhasbeenselected/

Loren Williams

Loren grew up in Ohio and graduated from THE Ohio State University. After time in Israel and Detroit, he settled in Chicago, where he and his wife, Ruth, raised three children. After 30+ years in corporate computer hardware, Loren joined PCs for People, a nonprofit turning "retired" corporate computers into affordable home technology for low-income families. In his free time, Loren enjoys biking, traveling, and exploring Chicago’s diverse culinary scene, tracking how many international cuisines he can sample!

impact

Life-changing educational travel experiences

Malcolm Gladwell described a “tipping point” as a moment of critical mass where dramatic change can take place. Farther Foundation makes it possible for students to participate in “tipping point” experiences. What is on the other side of these experiences?

Farther Foundation program alumni graduate high school at a rate of 100%, enroll in college at a rate of 98% (almost all in 4-year colleges), and graduate or remain on track to graduate from college at a rate of 88%.  It is hard to find any cohort of students of any demographic mix that succeeds at a similar rate!

Thank you for supporting our mission and the students we serve!

Thank you from the Board of Directors of Farther Foundation!

David Weindling        
Susan J. White           
Matt Crossett            
Melissa Coughlin       
Ed Cruickshank          
Nina Ricci