Years of Impact
Continuum of Career Pathway Development
Grades Pre-K–5
Early Exploration in STEM and Career Awareness Programs: STEMagineers
Community OutREACH
Future
December 2024
In the 2018–19 school year, the Rush Education and Career Hub (REACH) launched new programming as part of Rush’s broad strategy to be a catalyst for community health and economic vitality.
By providing innovative, hands-on STEM learning for underrepresented students in pre-K through college, REACH aims to prepare young people for meaningful, well-paying careers, boost their economic mobility and close the unconscionable racial gaps in social and health equity.
What that looks like in practice:
• We train teachers in evidence-based ways to build students’ enthusiasm for STEM.
• We teach and mentor students directly through engaging curriculum and paid, workbased learning experiences that build skills for succeeding in school and the workforce.
• We help young people envision themselves not only in STEM and health care careers, but also as community leaders and problem-solvers.
• We pivot to meet students’ and families’ needs, as we did during the COVID-19 pandemic by offering virtual STEM learning plus wraparound supports to help with technology, food, transportation, financial assistance and other concerns.
We’re proud to have served more than 18,000 students, parents and community members over these last five years. And we’re equally proud of the data showing that our approach to STEM learning works — for example, nearly all REACH students enroll in college and remain enrolled.
The following pages showcase more data alongside the voices of those who have been part of REACH as students, teachers, parents and community partners. We’re eager to keep collaborating with all of them as we continue breaking down barriers to education and careers.
Rukiya Curvey Johnson, MBA Executive director, REACH
Vice president of community health equity and engagement
Rush University Medical Center
5 years of REACH at a glance
Building equitable pathways to college and careers requires focus, engagement and support. The data tell the story: Our work gets results.
90% of REACH students say the program has made them more committed to work in a health care or STEM field
18,000+ students, parents and community members participated in REACH programming and wraparound supports
500+ educators were trained in STEM-focused learning and resilience
1,000+ high school and college students completed 100,000+ hours of paid, work-based learning and internships
449 high school students earned stackable, industry-recognized certifications: phlebotomy, CPR, first aid, ECG technician and health care IT
96% of REACH students enrolled in college after high school, and 94% returned to or enrolled in college for a second year
85% of the REACH college class of 2022 works in STEM or health care or is enrolled in graduate school
5 years of leading with equity
Students of color are underrepresented in STEM and health care fields, where provider demographics rarely match patient demographics. REACH programming builds equitable education and career pathways that prepare students to create their own successful futures and address health needs in their communities.
“I know that you can’t be what you can’t see.
Growing up in inner-city Detroit, I got the opportunity to work at Henry Ford Hospital because my godmother worked in the ER there. I met MDs who looked like me. Young people can start getting the fire for going into health care early on — before they ever have a chance to think, ‘I’d never be able to do that.’ The task doesn’t seem so daunting.”
Nana Bonsu, MD REACH instructor & faculty advisor
“It changed the entire trajectory of my life.
I am a first-generation college graduate from a Mexican-American background. I started with SAME Network [REACH’s precursor] programs in sixth grade. In middle school, I spent a whole week each summer at Benedictine University, with a packed schedule of science and math courses. Then in high school and during college, I interned at Rush University Medical Center. Those experiences gave me the experience, confidence and courage to apply to any college I saw fit. It also prepared me to leave home for school, instilling professionalism skills such as independence, organization, and hard work.”
Destinee Chaidez
‘19;
Where students have enrolled*
*Percentages rounded
Loyola University
Data analyst and founder of Inside Out educational program for middle schoolers
City Colleges of Chicago
Illinois colleges and universities
Big Ten schools Ivy League and equivalent
Black colleges and universities
96% of REACH students enroll in college after high school graduation.
94% of REACH students return to college for a second year.
5 years of commitment to community
REACH programs teach collaboration as an essential skill, and we walk the talk by working closely with schools, nonprofit partners, volunteers and the communities we serve. We leverage community expertise and resources to offer a breadth of high-quality programming — so the more connected we are, the greater our impact on students.
“REACH helps us support families by offering educational tools, support groups and food for families that need it but are not qualified for other assistance — the working poor families that are in the gray areas of support. When families are struggling to understand how to help their children develop in a manner that will help them to be school-ready, REACH helps us provide opportunities for engagement that are a good fit for their children’s age and developmental needs.”
Arnez Cooper, MS Compliance manager, Marillac St.
Vincent Family Services
“The professor who introduced me to chemistry did not look like me.
In fact, there was no teacher anywhere in my studies who looked like me. When you can see that there are a few people who look like you in a scientific field, it’s inspiring. I’m coming in from the hard-tech science space to illustrate that there are careers here. What got me engaged with REACH was the focus on the West and South sides, schools and areas that are underrepresented.”
In 2019, with our partner school Dett Elementary, REACH launched Illinois’ first-ever middle school chapter of HOSA Jr., a nationwide program for middle schoolers interested in health professions. Students learn leadership and teamwork skills, and participate in local, state, district and national knowledge competitions.
George Salomon, PhD Chemist, REACH volunteer instructor
5 years of centering the student
REACH has a meaningful impact on Chicago’s economy; our analysis of the regional labor market helps us continuously shape our career pathway programs. But we never lose sight of what’s truly at the heart of our work: young people who each have their own unique dreams and challenges.
“I loved how I was able to create a network at a young age. Fresh out of middle school, I was participating in Rush programs learning medical terminology, going into the hospital and meeting health professionals.”
Janellie Flores University of Illinois at Chicago class of ’27 MedSTEM Pathways alum
“It’s so important to let people from communities like mine see that there are so many possibilities out there.
Working in the labor and delivery unit, I saw four births just on my first day. I’ve come to learn that there are endless possibilities within this field and you never stop learning, you never stop experiencing. [REACH] has helped lots of students like me begin to dream about things that we never thought we could dream about.”
Alexia Leggin
Occidental College ’22; MedSTEM Pathways alum
Watch Video
5 years of empowering through education
While building lifelong skills, resilience and accountability, our students learn to see education as the fuel for fulfilling careers. Young people who never envisioned themselves in STEM or health care careers before REACH can even earn credentials that enable them to start working in those fields immediately.
“REACH took my daughter out of her normal setting and gave her a chance to meet different people. She also earned certifications in Narcan training and CPR. She was always excited about going to Rush while her friends complained about their summer jobs! I used to have to push her to join stuff, but on her own she signed up for dual enrollment at Malcolm X College and spent the whole summer there to get college credit. The Rush experience opened her eyes up: This is where you can go, this is what you can be. She was able to come out of herself and take a leap of faith. She put REACH on all of her college applications and ended up having her choice of schools.”
Latanya O’Connor Parent
of a MedSTEM Pathways student now enrolled in the nursing program at Winston-Salem State University
“I gained competency in so many areas.
In addition to the clinical side, I learned things like public speaking skills, communication skills, interpersonal skills like compassion. When you’re exposed to a health care setting like Rush where care and compassion are a priority, you learn those traits as well.”
Israel Aileman Taylor University ‘23 Medical student, The Ohio State University College Career Pathways alum
Watch Video
5 years of striving for excellence
We push our students, our partner teachers and ourselves to see more, do more and be more. For students, that looks like hands-on experiences that challenge them to learn what they’re capable of. For educators, it’s taking new approaches to engaging learners. And for us, it means translating rigorous research into effective programming.
“With Kimberly, the REACH instructional coach, I did some hands-on lessons starting with second- and third-graders. Her help was the catalyst for me to get brave and try things; I’m now using STEM lessons with kids K-5. Across all the grade levels, the student these lessons reach is typically a diverse learner who’s not really a reader or writer. These activities somehow came quicker to them. That gives them such a confidence boost. This year we had a newcomer, a migrant student who doesn’t know any English, and you can tell he’s an intelligent kid. He was one of the first to figure out a certain type of robot, and the other kids were impressed.”
Erin McDonald Media specialist, Pickard Elementary School
In addition to supporting students and families, REACH supports school districts in creating high-quality career development experiences. In a grant-funded pilot program with the Education Systems Center of Northern Illinois University, we designed a Chicago STEM career fair that now attracts hundreds of families each year, and supported Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis in creating a similar event. Schools nationwide can now follow the model we developed through the Illinois Work-Based Learning Innovation Network.
5 years of inspiring and empowering
Since 2018, REACH has helped thousands of young people learn to see themselves as STEM and health care professionals.
Today, 85% of the REACH college class of 2022 is employed in STEM or health care or enrolled in graduate school.
REACH is recognized nationwide as a leader in equity-focused STEM learning.
• Published in a special issue of the Journal of STEM Outreach
• Selected as a national model of youth workforce intermediaries by the Gates Foundation and Jobs for the Future (JFF)
• Designed a replicable career development model now used by schools nationwide
• Subject of a chapter in Occupational Identity in Adolescence, published by the Connected Learning Alliance
• Featured on national podcasts that include 340B Insight and JFF Equitable Pathways (Season 2, Episode 2)
90% of REACH students say they’re more committed to work in a health care or STEM field.
94% of REACH students report that they developed professional skills in our programs.
“I was exposed to seeing my first physician of color that I had ever seen in my life ... When I was able to see people that actually look like me, it was pretty much a motivation for me to keep going.”
Jayline Maite Pérez García
Roosevelt University ’21 (BS) and ’24 (MS) MedSTEM Pathways and RU Ready MedSchool Boot Camp alum
“I wasn’t thriving; I was surviving. That’s
when I began the College Career Pathways program, and I was able to experience professional development, work with various departments and network. Students get a sense of community being at Rush and gain a lifetime resource they can reach out to. Rush and REACH are gifts that keep on giving!”
Brianna Bracy
Southern Illinois University ’20 (BS), Dominican University ’24 (MSW)
College Career Pathways alum; psychotherapy intern and case manager, Rush University Medical Center
5 years ahead: Vision 2030
To learn more visit reachatrush.org or contact
Rukiya
Curvey Johnson at reached@rush.edu.
We’re proud to look back on the last five years and share some of our milestones and achievements.
As we move forward, we’ll continue to lean into our values, empowering and centering the student no matter what their age.
We will help our students gain social capital, see education as fuel for fulfilling, impactful careers and learn the skills and accountability they need to turn their dreams into reality.
As we look toward our next five years, our goals include:
• Scaling our impact by putting 5,000 students on pathways to economic mobility and careers in STEM and health care by 2030
• Expanding professional development opportunities for educators, to strengthen early STEM learning and career exploration
• Increasing students’ access to work-based learning, including internships and apprenticeships, by providing technical assistance and models to health care employers and schools nationwide
• Harnessing the power of our data by designing and executing intellectually ambitious, technically sound research that will contribute to understanding and ameliorating inequity in STEM and health care workforce systems
These are audacious goals, but we’re confident that we’ll get there with the help of our incredible community of flourishing students, supportive families, talented educators, generous funders and committed partners.
Thank you
The Rush Education and Career Hub is indebted to the support and partnership of the following people, schools and organizations. We also extend our thanks to the many funders and individual donors who support our programs.
At Rush
Rush community, faculty, students and staff, especially the Office of Community Health Equity and Engagement team
David A. Ansell, MD, MPH
Senior vice president of community health equity, Rush University Medical Center
Denise E. Banton, RN
Unit director, Labor and Delivery and Mother Baby, Rush University Medical Center
Michelle Boardman
Director of development, Rush University Medical Center
Sylvia Buh, RN
Clinical manager, Rush Oak Park Cancer Center
Anne Burgeson
Senior director, strategic external communications, Rush University Medical Center
Thelma Eloby
Lead volunteer coordinator, Volunteer Services, Rush University Medical Center
Larry Goodman, MD
Former CEO, Rush University System for Health
Robert S.D. Higgins, MD, MHSA
President and chief academic officer, Rush University
Dr. Omar Lateef
President and chief executive officer, Rush University System for Health and Rush University Medical Center
Chase Lodico, RN
Unit director, Emergency Department, Rush University Medical Center
Renee Luvich, RN
Assistant unit director, 7South General Surgery and Medicine, Rush University Medical Center
Denina McCullum-Smith, RN
Assistant unit director, Perioperative Care (Recovery), Rush University Medical Center
Celina Pavon
Program coordinator, Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center
Bernard Peculis
Unit director, Radiology and Diagnostics, Rush University Medical Center
John Rich, MD
Director, Rush BMO Institute for Health Equity, Rush University Medical Center
Ofu Takor
Content strategist, Rush BMO Institute for Health Equity, Rush University Medical Center
Maria Walker
Director, Laurance Armour Day School
Elizabeth A. Williams, RN
Unit director, Emergency Department, Rush Oak Park Hospital
Partner schools
Chicago Bulls College Prep High School
Cristo Rey Jesuit High School
Elgin Math & Science Academy
Genevieve Melody STEM Elementary School
Helen M. Hefferan STEM Elementary School
Instituto Health Sciences Academy
Josiah Pickard Elementary School
Michele Clark Magnet High School (Early College STEM)
North Grand High School
Richard T. Crane Medical Prep High School (Early College STEM)
Robert Nathaniel Dett Elementary School
Theodore Herzl Elementary School
Village Leadership Academy
Washington Irving Elementary School
William H. Brown STEM Magnet School
Partner organizations After School Matters
By the Hand
Braven
Carole Robertson Center
Chicago Public Schools
Chicago Scholars
City Colleges of Chicago
Defined Learning
Malcolm X College
Marillac House
Noble Schools
Project Exploration
Rush Copley Medical Center
Rush Medical College
Rush Oak Park Hospital
Rush University
Top Box Foods
University of Illinois Chicago School of Medicine
University of Illinois Chicago School of Nursing
West Side United
Rush Education and Career Hub team
Rukiya Curvey Johnson, MBA
Executive director, REACH
Vice president of community health equity, Rush University Medical Center
Kimberly Bailey
Community education specialist, grades 3-5
Nia K. Benton-Roberson, LSW
Program manager, College and Career
Tanea Culbreath-Byrd, MSIT
Program coordinator, IT Pathways
Angela Freeman, MPH
Impact analyst
Natalia A. Gallegos, MPH Director of engagement and impact
Heather Hampton, EdD Director of education and pathways programs
Caroline Kerr, MAT
Program development specialist; middle school STEM specialist
Brandon Taylor, MS, MOT Career development manager
Ellen Vigil
Community education specialist, PreK-grade 2
Lauren White, MPH
Program coordinator
Interns
Brianna Bracy, MSW
Brieanna McCann
Brenda Perez
Jayline Perez
Morris Wilson III
Instructors
Nana Bonsu, MD
Rosy Cordero, PhD
Angela Freeman, MPH
Melissa Hughes
Robert Lee
Miriam Ramirez, MSN, RN
Brandon Taylor, MS, MOT