CANAAN COMMUNITY CHURCH
PARTNERS & SUPPORTERS
PURSUE SCHOLARS
Sub Culture Incorporated
CHICAGO BEARS chicagobears.com/community
Chicago Bulls Charities
From the Basement to the Boulevard
The Edward T. Dunn Scholarship began in 2004 created by the family of Deacon Edward Thomas Dunn. Deacon Dunn was a well know musician and resident of the West Englewood Community on the south side of Chicago. He believed in education and music as a means for excellence and success but also was committed to his neighborhood and city. Upon his death his family wanted to honor his love for education, music and youth by creating a scholarship fund. In 2006, the scholarship was officially adopted by Canaan Community Church and focused on providing scholarships for students, not based on academic merit, but the desire to be a faithful presence in their community and city post graduation. These are called our Nehemiah Scholars. Today’s brightest and most talented urban leaders are daily faced with a decision that affects not only themselves, but also the strength of the communities they reside in. After they have been successful on the college campus, will they return, in some capacity, to the community that helped foster their development?
NEHEMIAH SCHOLARS
When it comes to examples of young servant leaders in the Bible, there were not many like Nehemiah. In the face of great adversity, Nehemiah remained faithful to the Lord. Even in the midst of seeing Jerusalem left in ruins and needing to be rebuilt, he used his gifts and God given position to return to Jerusalem with resources and a plan. Without proximity to the pain and returning to the place that made him who he was he would have been unable to know the magnitude of need or how to rally the assets already present there.
Nehemiah Scholars is a scholarship program designed to equip and train Chicago students seeking higher education. We support students of color financially, spiritually and socially during their time in college. Nehemiah Scholars exists to not just help students finish college, but to thrive in it. We do this by training students to engage and serve their campuses and communities for the honor and glory of Jesus Christ.
Nehemiah Scholars identifies students from the Englewood neighborhood and beyond who are committed to being part of removing the stigma of neglected neighborhoods as places to escape and show them as places to invest. Our desire is for every graduate to return to their community, participate in its flourishing and be an example of the #goodinenglewood and a part of #englewoodrising.
Cornell Ferrill
Kentucky State University
Derek Yelverton
North Carolina A&T State University
Caryn Harris
Chicago State University
Khojdeshia Rawls
Central State University
Tryone Ali
Marquette University
Morgen Bonner
Illinois State University
Brittany Christmas
Kennedy-King College
Erica Jackson
North Carolina A&T State University
Estella Brown
Chicago State University
Tierra Blevins
Tennessee State University
Tommie Williams
Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Rachel Slayton
Tuskegee University
Current and Past Scholars
Brandon Dunn | Alcorn State University
Breanah Bolden | Coe College
Rian Dunn | Jackson State University
Myah Jackson | Tennessee State University
Jonathan Highsmith | Mississippi Valley State University
Markwon Fields | Texas Southern University
Trinity Johnson | Central Michigan University
Tayler Brooks | Chicago State University
Eliyah Moores | Loyola University
PAST SCHOLARS
Casey Baskin
Crystal Cross
Marcus Brown
Elise Moores
Rory Morton Jr.
Deandre Wright
Portia Johnson
Tatiana Johnson
Chelsea Kirkendoll
Ashley Beridon
Charles Harris
Cedric Ferrill
Danielle Randall
Kendall Richmond
Elise Moores
and many more...