Neumann University Announces Scholarships for Chester Charter Scholars Academy Students during iAM Project Event

CHESTER, Pa. (Dec. 5, 2023) — The Philadelphia Union Foundation’s iAM Project worked to inspire students to aspire for greatness last week, with an announcement of scholarships for students from Chester Charter Scholars Academy and real-life stories of overcoming challenges from drill sergeant, model and mentor Renieal Campbell.

At the event on Nov. 17, Neumann University President Dr. Chris Domes announced that any student from Chester Charter Scholars Academy who applies and is accepted to Neumann University will receive a $2,000 scholarship, renewable for four years. Neumann University has been a valued partner of the iAM Project since its inception, with Neumann faculty acting as mentors and students staying overnight at the university for a week over the summer.

Funding her higher education was a key challenge for keynote speaker Renieal Campbell, which she shared with the audience of more than 300 middle and high-schoolers. The Army paid for Campbell’s college education, giving her the opportunity to serve her country and become a drill sergeant.

“Don’t allow anyone to hold you back. Don’t let them put you in a box,” Campbell said. “Don’t limit yourself. Be the kind of person who goes out and takes opportunities.” Following her speech, Campbell met with about 70 students who are part of the iAM Project for a question and answer session.

“Renieal’s presence and message had an incredible impact on our students,” said Akousa Watts, CEO, Chester Charter Scholars Academy. “Many of them can see themselves in Renieal. Her tenacity and success gives them permission and inspiration to strive to realize the best in themselves. Oddly, that that be a frightening thing to pursue for our students. It is far safer for many to not try and control their failure than to try and risk the chance that they will come up short.”

Helping students achieve their goals is at the core of the iAM Project, which was founded in 2021. It provides personal, academic and professional opportunities to students at Chester Charter Scholars Academy and is designed to address the effects of socio-economic inequality on social mobility by focusing on three core pillars — inspiration, aspiration and mentorship. The speaker series is a key part of the iAM Project’s programming, designed to inspire students to look beyond the challenges they may be facing today and see what is possible in the future.

The iAM Project leverages a network of inspirational speakers, academic and professional mentors, as well as innovative links to industry, universities and internship providers to create ongoing opportunities for the participants. This is the fourth Inspirational Speaker Series event the iAM Project has hosted. Previous speakers include NBA great M.L. Carr, Jimmy White IV and Rich Kleiman.

The iAM Project is supported through partnerships with Bimbo Bakeries USA, The Boeing Company, the Durant Family Foundation, Language Services Associates, Lincoln Financial Group, Neumann University and WSFS Bank.