A $5 million gift from Jennifer, Robin and Heather Steans will establish the John Horan (pictured) Endowed Scholarship Program at DePaul University. (Photo courtesy of John Horan)CHICAGO — In keeping with their long-term commitment to providing students with access to high-quality education, Jennifer, Robin and Heather Steans have made a $5 million gift to establish the John Horan Endowed Scholarship Program at DePaul University.
Jennifer Steans serves on the DePaul Board of Trustees, is president and CEO of Financial Investments Corporation and serves on the board of the Steans Family Foundation. Robin Steans is president of Advance Illinois and board chair of the Steans Family Foundation. Heather Steans is a recently retired Illinois state senator and a board member of the Steans Family Foundation.
The John Horan Endowed Scholarship Program will make it possible for students from North Lawndale to attend DePaul with all costs of enrollment covered. The gift also will fund a graduate assistant in DePaul’s Office of Multicultural Student Success to oversee the cohort of Horan scholarship recipients. Finally, the gift will ensure that the John Horan scholars have access to peer mentoring, laptops and support for internships and study abroad experiences.
The new scholarship program is named for the founder and president emeritus of the North Lawndale College Prep High School, who served the school for more than 20 years. Horan also served as executive director of the I Have a Dream Foundation and was the director of the Catholic Youth Office for the Archdiocese of Chicago.
“My family wanted to honor John Horan by establishing a scholarship in his name for North Lawndale students to attend DePaul. John is one of the most inspiring people we know, and he will be a huge supporter and advocate for these scholars,” said Jennifer Steans. “We are proud to continue supporting John’s mission, and the mission of our family, in this way.”
Rico Tyler, associate vice president in DePaul’s division of student affairs, worked with the Steans family to develop this comprehensive program for incoming students. “It was a pleasure to discuss ways in which DePaul can help the diverse student populations the Steans Family Foundation has traditionally supported,” said Tyler. “Their ideas form the cornerstone of a scholarship program that will make a huge difference in helping talented students reach their potential.”
With this gift, the Steans sisters are continuing the legacy of their father, Harrison I. Steans (1935-2019), who was a member of DePaul’s Board of Trustees, a Life Trustee and a longtime benefactor of the university, the North Lawndale neighborhood of Chicago and North Lawndale College Prep. DePaul’s Irwin W. Steans Center for Community-based Service Learning and Community Services Studies was established through the vision and philanthropy of Mr. Steans, his family, and his sister, Adeline S. Morrison, in honor of their father. Fittingly, a Harrison I. Steans Graduate Fellowship Program housed within the Steans Center was established in Harrison’s honor in 2020 by the Morrison family and the Harold M. and Adeline S. Morrison Family Foundation, whose directors include all of Harrison Steans’ nieces, Helen Morrison, Amy Heinrich, Lois Morrison and Margot Brinley.
“Now more than ever, the challenges students face as a result of the pandemic call on us to uphold our Catholic and Vincentian values by taking care of one another and ensuring the success of our diverse community of learners,” said DePaul President A. Gabriel Esteban, Ph.D. “The Steans family, generous benefactors of our Irwin W. Steans Center for Community-based Service Learning, continue to be passionate supporters of our mission. We are grateful for their generosity on behalf of our students.”
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