A group of Katten's Chicago attorneys and staff, led by Government and Public Finance partner Chad Doobay, welcomed 25 Chicago Public School students for a two-hour "speed-mentoring" session as part of a program developed by Embarc, a Chicago-based nonprofit educational organization that collaborates with more than 250 community partners to provide experiential learning opportunities for at-risk high school students. The mentoring sessions were designed to give both students and attorneys the opportunity to engage in meaningful dialogue. At each "station," both the attorneys and the students were given a list of questions to pose to one another, with the end goal of having students walk away inspired and further prepared for college and career success.
The effectiveness of the Embarc program is impressive, with an average 97 percent high school graduation rate, 85 percent college enrollment rate (including 2- and 4-year programs), and 97 percent overall postsecondary success. "It is a pleasure to partner with Embarc in the great work they do," said Chad. "The students are an inspiration . . . it will be exciting to see all the wonderful things they will accomplish."
Chicago
