Target New Transitions

Target New Transitions: Our Story

The Target New Transitions academic model originated through a 2002 Loyola program called “Who Wants to Win a Scholarship?". Inspired by the popular reality show “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?” the 2002 Loyola program combined rigorous academics and cable television excitement to engage hundreds of high school students in a scholarship competition. The program was funded through Gear Up, a grant-based program designed to increase the number of low-income students who are prepared to enter and succeed in postsecondary education. Aired on public access television, the competition awarded over $750,000 in scholarship funds. As well, the program received Honorable Mention from the Alliance for Community Media in 2004.

The scholarship competition matched students from 14 different Chicago Public High Schools with a cadre of undergraduate students from Loyola who acted as the Academic Coaches for the competing high schoolers. Together, the high school and college students devoted 4 hours on Saturday mornings to review study guides and prepare for the televised scholastic competitions. Loyola’s scholarship competition resulted in over 46,000 hours of Academic Coaching, alongside the substantial financial aid.

Chicago Scholarship Challenge

“Who Wants to Win a Scholarship?” evolved into a team-based version of the competition in 2006. Renamed “The Chicago Scholarship Challenge,” students worked in teams from their high schools to compete against teams from other participating schools. The team-based structure allowed more students the chance to win the scholarship and, moreover, to use that scholarship for whichever school they chose to attend after high school.

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