The University of Chicago
Our Commitment
At the University of Chicago, we believe that all students should have access to higher education opportunities no matter their background, geographic location, or ability to pay. UChicago knows that students from rural and small-town contexts bring valuable experiences and viewpoints to a college community. However, students from rural and small-town communities are often faced with unique barriers to college admissions because of their geographic isolation. The UChicago Empower access initiative was designed to address the challenges faced by first-generation, low-income, and rural and small-town students. Thanks to a generous donation from Trott Family Philanthropies, UChicago created the Emerging Rural Leaders Program in 2019 to reduce the barriers to college that rural students and families face by offering college admissions programming on-campus and in local communities, providing mentoring and support systems for high school and college students, and updating financial aid policies and scholarships to enable more rural students to pursue higher education at UChicago. By collaborating with Network members and leveraging existing resources and infrastructure created by the Empower Initiative, the STARS College Network at UChicago will enhance and expand the college access work that began with the Emerging Rural Leaders program in 2019.
Learn more about The University of Chicago's Rural and Small Town Programming
Learn more about The University of Chicago's Admissions
View news coverage on The University of Chicago's participation in STARS
The University of Chicago Events
STARS Near You
STARS in Abilene, TX
March 31st 2025, 6:00 pm CDT
Join more than a dozen colleges and universities from the STARS College Network for an evening all about college! We’ll have a 45 minute information session on topics like holistic review, financial aid, and how to set yourself up for success in the college application process. Afterwards, you’ll have time to browse a mini-college fair of participating institutions from across the country!
Host: Amherst College, California Institute of Technology (Caltech), Case Western Reserve University, Colby College, Columbia University in the City of New York, Duke, Northwestern University, SMU, Stanford University, The University of Chicago, University of Arizona, University of Southern California, University of Texas at Austin, Vanderbilt University, Yale UniversitySTARS Near You
STARS in Midland-Odessa, TX
April 1st 2025, 6:00 pm CDT
Join more than a dozen colleges and universities from the STARS College Network for an evening all about college! We’ll have a 45 minute information session on topics like holistic review, financial aid, and how to set yourself up for success in the college application process. Afterwards, you’ll have time to browse a mini-college fair of participating institutions from across the country!
Host: Amherst College, California Institute of Technology (Caltech), Case Western Reserve University, Colby College, Columbia University in the City of New York, Duke, Northwestern University, SMU, Stanford University, The University of Chicago, University of Arizona, University of Southern California, University of Texas at Austin, Vanderbilt University, Yale UniversitySTARS Near You
STARS in Lubbock, TX
April 2nd 2025, 6:00 pm CDT
Join more than a dozen colleges and universities from the STARS College Network for an evening all about college! We’ll have a 45 minute information session on topics like holistic review, financial aid, and how to set yourself up for success in the college application process. Afterwards, you’ll have time to browse a mini-college fair of participating institutions from across the country!
Host: Amherst College, California Institute of Technology (Caltech), Case Western Reserve University, Colby College, Columbia University in the City of New York, Duke, Northwestern University, SMU, Stanford University, The University of Chicago, University of Arizona, University of Southern California, University of Texas at Austin, Vanderbilt University, Yale UniversitySTARS Near You
STARS in Jackson, WY
April 22nd 2025, 6:00 pm MDT
Join the STARS College Network for a special case studies program! You'll get a sneak peek at what real college applications look like, and learn some tips and tricks on how to approach your own college search process. This event is open to students of all ages and their parents.
Host: The University of ChicagoVirtual Event
STARS Virtual College Fair
May 6th 2025, 7:00 pm CST
Join all 32 STARS Network partner colleges and universities to discover the exceptional opportunities all of our schools have to offer through a virtual college fair!
Host: Amherst College, Auburn University, Berkeley, Brown University, California Institute of Technology (Caltech), Case Western Reserve University, Colby College, Columbia University in the City of New York, Dartmouth College, Duke, Georgia Tech, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Northwestern University, Notre Dame, SMU, Spelman College, Stanford University, The Ohio State University, The University of Alabama, The University of Chicago, The University of Iowa, University of Arizona, University of Arkansas, University of Denver, University of Maryland, College Park, University of South Carolina, University of Southern California, University of Texas at Austin, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Vanderbilt University, Washington University in St. Louis, Yale University