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On March 6, �ʹڶ��� hosted its inaugural Civic Night to formally begin the institution’s 80th anniversary celebration. Attended by nearly 200 alumni, faculty, corporate partners and Board of Trustees members, the event served as a networking opportunity for the �ʹڶ��� community and a tribute to the University’s trailblazing rejection of racial and religious quotas in 1945. Decorations and cocktails we’re given a 1940s theme to match the year of �ʹڶ���’s founding, and attendees were encouraged to mingle and listen to jazz instrumentals performed by CCPA (Chicago College of Performing Arts) students. 

After a greeting from University President Ali Malekzadeh and Board of Trustees Chair J.C. Gonzalez-Mendez, the Board’s vice chair Valerie Barker Waller awarded �ʹڶ���’s annual Freedom Award. Established in 1955, the Freedom Award honors Chicago community leaders who exemplify the ideals of freedom and opportunity that �ʹڶ��� was founded on. This year’s recipients were Loisteen Woods Walker (president of the Mayor Harold Washington Legacy Committee) and Elissa Hamid Efroymson (a representative of the Efroymson Family Fund). 

The Mayor Washington Legacy Committee upholds the spirit of the late mayor (and �ʹڶ��� alumnus) with community and higher-education partnerships for civic engagement, while the Efroymson Family Fund awards millions of annual grants to Chicago cultural and educational institutions. Both recipients emphasized that their organizations aligned with �ʹڶ���’s commitment for social justice and educational equity.

“�ʹڶ��� continues to display the highest level of commitment to transformative justice and democratic values while maintaining a strong record of leadership, service, community engagement and academic excellence,” said Woods Walker. “The Legacy Committee is proud to continue this journey with �ʹڶ���.”