Creating Pathways and Access for Student Success Foundation™
We strive to broaden outreach, inspiring individuals from all backgrounds—including those from historically underrepresented and under-resourced communities—to pursue and persist in healthcare and related STEMM fields by providing a strong educational foundation and equitable access to essential resources and opportunities.
Listen to our Podcast:
Creating Equity in STEMM
A CPASS Foundation podcast spotlighting the voices, stories, and solutions shaping a more inclusive future in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine. Through honest conversations with educators, professionals, students, and advocates, we explore barriers, celebrate progress, and share actionable insights to help close equity gaps and expand access to opportunity in STEMM.
Our Programs
Creating Equity In STEMM Podcast
The CPASS Foundation podcast brings together leaders across medicine, science, technology, engineering, education, health, and public policy to explore how we can strengthen the nation’s STEMM workforce and advance health equity.
Annual S.T.E.M.M. Pathways To Health Equity Breakfast Symposium
This powerful gathering brings together thought leaders, healthcare innovators, and changemakers committed to building a stronger, more inclusive future for medicine and the health professions.
The John Bradley STEM Award for Inspirational Leadership
Established in honor of one of our Chicago Area Health and Medical Careers Program™ founders, the John Bradley STEM Award for Inspirational Leadership recognizes exceptional individuals whose inspirational leadership has helped attract, encourage, educate, guide, and increase the number of promising yet underrepresented students in STEMM.
Use our search tool to find STEMM programs near you in the areas that you’re interested in.
STEMM Education
Study Tips for STEMM Students [Guide]
What Our Alumni Say
Eric Whitaker, MD, MPH
Chair, CPASS Foundation
“Until CAHMCP, I was not supported in my dream of becoming a doctor. It was an eye-opening experience to be with students of color who all valued education.”
Laura Lucero, MD
Family Practice/Chief Medical Officer, Beloved Community Family Wellness Center
“I’ve never studied so hard, tried so hard. I was in that anatomy course all day long. I finally got into medical school a year later.”
Mildred M. G. Olivier, MD
Professor of Ophthalmology and Assistant Dean for Diversity and Learning Environment, Chicago Medical School of Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science
“CAHMCP gave me a group of friends I studied with in medical school, and we tried to be the best that we could be.”
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News & Events
News
Dreams deferred but not denied: Two nontraditional medical journeys
The path from undergraduate to medical school is rarely a straight line. Read the stories of Lord Hyeamang and Travette
Daniel for inspiration.
CPASS Saturday Academy Kicks Off with College Prep and College Credit Tracks
The 2025 CPASS Saturday Academy launched this fall with energy, excitement, and a renewed commitment to college and career readiness. On September 27, Scholars from the Classes of 2026, 2027, and 2028 participated in our first College Prep Workshops, diving into...
Events
CPASS Announces 2025 John Bradley Award Honoree: Dr. Mildred Olivier
The CPASS Foundation is proud to announce that Dr. Mildred MG Olivier, nationally renowned ophthalmologist, healthcare equity advocate, and CAHMCP alumna, has been selected as the 2025 recipient of the John Bradley STEM Award for Inspirational Leadership (JBSAIL). The...
CPASS Foundation Honors Dr. Trevonne M. Thompson with 2024 John Bradley Award for Inspirational Leadership
Press Release: CPASS Foundation Honors Dr. Trevonne M. Thompson with 2024 John Bradley Award for Inspirational Leadership. Dr. Thompson, a professor of Emergency Medicine and Medical Toxicology at the University of Illinois Chicago, is recognized for his exceptional work in promoting diversity in STEMM fields. His leadership and mentorship have profoundly impacted underrepresented students pursuing careers in medicine. The award will be presented at the Annual STEMM Pathways to Health Equity Breakfast on October 5, 2024.
The Blog
Meet the Residents
Charles Tate and Charissa Carroll mark significant milestones in their medical careers with help from the CPASS Foundation. Charles Tate was one of more than 30 million viewers who regularly tuned in to watch ER, a top-rated hospital drama that capped NBC’s “Must See...
CPASS Foundation’s STEMM Scholars Program Takes On Midwestern University To Explore Healthcare Careers Hands-On
This summer, our CPASS Foundation STEMM Scholars Academy gave high school sophomores an exciting glimpse into the world of healthcare during their visit to Midwestern University’s Downers Grove Campus. Designed to empower racially and ethnically underrepresented...
Welcome Brittany Nunez as Senior Marketing & Communications Specialist for the CPASS Foundation!
Brittany Nunez is a seasoned marketing professional with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, concentrating in Marketing, from Iowa Wesleyan University in Mount Pleasant, Iowa. As a first-generation college graduate, Brittany brings over eight years of...