Tyshawn Allison

Tyshawn Allison always knew he would go to college. Growing up on Chicago’s West Side, he developed a love for learning early on.

“I want to soak up everything. I’m interested in everything,” he said.

New York University was Tyshawn’s first choice for college, after graduating from Prosser Career Academy in 2023, but when it didn’t pan out, his mother encouraged him to consider Wilbur Wright College. As a Star Scholar, Tyshawn could attend for free while planning his next steps.

“I thought I wanted to be a computer scientist,” Tyshawn said. “But after taking high-level calculus and accounting courses, I realized accounting was a better fit.”

Tyshawn is now headed to Northern Illinois University (NIU) in the fall with some extra financial support. He’s one of 25 recipients of the 2025 Star Partnership Mayoral Award from CME Group. Tyshawn and the other recipients were chosen from more than 380 eligible Star Scholars. The award honors City Colleges students transferring to pursue a bachelor’s degree with a GPA of 3.0 or higher.

“Wright saved me a lot of money and gave me amazing friends,” Tyshawn shared. “It also lit a fire in me to be more competitive with myself. I want to achieve and conquer my education. The CME scholarship showed me that the more I focus on school, the more I can accomplish—and that success in school leads to success in life.”

Tyshawn plans to become a CPA. He’s grateful for his family, his friends, and especially his mother, who always kept him focused on education. He’s also a member of Phi Theta Kappa and received an additional $2,000 scholarship to support his transfer to NIU.