Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot, CTA President Dorval R. Carter, Jr., CPS CEO Pedro Martinez and Walsh-Fluor Design-Build Team announced that two Chicago Public School seniors have been awarded scholarships from the “CTA Elevating Futures Scholarship Fund,” a program that provides financial assistance to CPS students who want to pursue construction and engineering-related college educations. This scholarship program, created by CTA and Red and Purple Modernization (RPM) contractor Walsh-Fluor Design-Build Team, provides $5,500 each year for four years to economically disadvantaged students who plan to pursue studies in Science, Technology, Engineering, or Math (STEM) for engineering and construction-related degrees. The scholarship was launched in 2020 as part of the historic $2.1 billion RPM project.  The 2022 CTA Elevating Futures Scholars are: 

Patrick Muyenzi, 19, Rogers Park 
Patrick is graduating at the top of his class at Sullivan High School, where he has taken many honors classes and received recognition for his outstanding academic performance. A student-athlete, Patrick has been an active member of the school’s soccer and volleyball teams, and he enjoys discovering the city through his involvement with the West Town Bike Program. Patrick is also engaged in his local community, having served as an intern at his alderwoman’s office, consistently sharing his professionalism and intelligence when assisting constituents. Teachers and supervisors commend Patrick’s curiosity, thoughtfulness, drive, and leadership skills.  Patrick plans to become an engineer, believing science can address almost any problem in the world. Patrick will be entering the College of Engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the fall. 

Freddy Romero, 18, Austin 
Freddy Romero attends Austin College and Career Academy, where he is valedictorian of his class. A well-rounded and hardworking student, he has excelled academically and received the Austin Math, Music and Art Awards. Outside of school, he has participated in various STEM-related activities, such as Project Exploration, the EXIGENT Pre-Calculus program, After School Matters’ Woods and Walls program, Code Next and Youth Chicago Apprentice, where he currently works in repairing technology used in CPS. Freddy’s goal is to become a mechanical engineer so he can improve technology and machinery that can assist those with disabilities. Freddy will be enrolling in the pre-engineering program at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where he plans to major in mechanical engineering or computer science.  

For more information about this program, visit CTA’s website at https://www.transitchicago.com/rpm/workforce-opportunities/  or Chicago Scholars’ website at chicagoscholars.org/elevatingfutures.