Kaplan Institute will be hosting a Bytes Over Bites session with Jeffery Beckham Jr., CEO of Chicago Scholars. The session will take place next Wednesday, February 15 from 12:45–1:45 p.m. Lunch will be provided. Sign up here.

Jeffery Beckham Jr. is Chief Executive Officer at Chicago Scholars and an award-winning acrylic painter. In his role as CEO, Jeffery is responsible for leading the organization that serves more than 5,000 first-generation and low-income students to reach their dreams to pursue a college education.

Jeffery is a community leader, artist, and serial entrepreneur who uses his national platform to fight for equity in education for urban communities. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for The 100 Black Men of Chicago, The Congo Square Theater, the Better Boys Foundation. He is also a sought-after speaker with appearances at McKinsey & Co., Facebook, Groupon, among others and has been featured as an expert source on Fox-32, ABC, CBS, WBEZ’s Chicago Tonight, WCIU’s The Jam and Chicago.Now, among others.

Jeffery’s thoughtful and dedicated leadership has received numerous awards. WVON and Ariel Investments named Jeffery one of Chicago’s Top 40 Game Changers Under 40 years old in 2015, he was a finalist for the Chicago Inno 50 on Fire Award in 2016, and The RAY Awards named him their 2018-2019 Man of the Year, in 2021 he was named a Chicago Defender Man of Excellence, and in 2021 he was Awarded the Callahan Celebration of Giving Service award for his work in the community. In 2022 he was selected as a Black Creativity Innovator by the Museum of Science and Industry.