About

The Creating Pathways and Access for Student Success™ (CPASS) Foundation was created to attract, encourage, educate, guide, and increase the number of promising, Illinois students in science, technology, engineering, math, and medicine (STEMM) related professions. We are committed to providing a holistic educational foundation and exclusive access to career development resources for students to persist in STEMM careers.

Our Mission

CPASS empowers Illinois students from all backgrounds—including those historically underrepresented and/or under-resourced communities —to pursue and persist in STEMM and health careers through high-quality, immersive programming that expands opportunity, strengthens STEMM identity, and develops the academic, leadership, and personal skills needed to serve as confident advocates and lead meaningful, positive change in their communities.

Our Vision

CPASS envisions a future where talented students from historically marginalized backgrounds are empowered to rise as leaders in STEMM — transforming industries, advancing innovation, and driving the eradication of health inequities.

What We Offer

We educate students to realize STEMM careers have expanded far beyond tech and into medicine and other health-related and creative fields. We partner with universities, medical schools and other organizations to provide rewarding enrichment opportunities that strengthen STEMM-based skills. After school, weekend and summer programs are available for every student. A quick search for programs in your neighborhood should produce a list of STEMM-focused courses, majors and activities.

Our Partners

We partner with leading universities in and around the State of Illinois, as well as innovative nonprofit organizations throughout the state, to offer hands-on STEMM and STEAM programs for underrepresented grade school, middle school, and high school-level students. These pivotal, beneficial programs, camps and activities will help them launch into careers and lives they may never considered possible. We are grateful to call the following our partners and friends:

Our History

The CPASS Foundation builds upon the successes of the Chicago Area Health and Medical Careers Program™ (CAHMCP, known as “Champs”). Founded in 1979 at the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT), this was a pipeline program for underrepresented high school and college students. CAHMCP prepared motivated students for careers in healthcare and medicine by showing them that they could succeed in these fields. The instruction included hands-on activities and field trips, as well as counseling for graduate school and medical college admission tests.

What We Learned

What we learned from CAHMCP is that underrepresented students should start preparing for STEMM careers much earlier. We needed to begin our program in middle school, so that students would be motivated to form good study habits. We also needed to take a broader view of technology-based medical careers for underrepresented students

Looking to the Future

Established in 2018, the CPASS Foundation marks the second chapter of our story—expanding access to the full spectrum of STEMM careers. Through mentoring and hands-on instruction, we equip students with the skills, confidence, and exposure they need to thrive. We also invite CAHMCP alumni to partner with us as mentors, donors, and exemplars of career success for our scholars.