LINK Newsletter

Get updates on news that matters to you.

Honoring the Late Jerome “Jerry” Girsch

LINK Unlimited Scholars mourns the January 2025 passing of our longstanding LINK Mentor, board member, and generous donor Jerome “Jerry”

Welcome to New LINK Staff

We are so pleased to welcome new staff member Maurice Tiner to the LINK team! Maurice, our new Director of

LINK’s Annual Impact Report

We are delighted to share with you the 2023-2024 LINK Unlimited Scholars Annual Impact Report. This year’s report celebrates the

Dr. Gunn Spreads the Word about LINK

Dr. Gunn always enjoys the opportunity to get in front of Chicago businesses to share her personal story as well

The Chicago Academy for the Arts Supports LINK Scholars with Generous Donation

Special thanks to The Chicago Academy for the Arts, the nation’s premier performing and visual arts high school, for their

Save the Date: Driving Fore a Difference!

Join us for our 30th Annual Driving Fore A Difference Golf Outing on Thursday, July 24, 2025, at Twin Orchard

Dr. Gunn Recognized as a Chicago Defender 2025 Woman of Excellence

A big congratulations to our very own LINK President and CEO Dr. Toinette Gunn, who was recently recognized as a

LINK Is Moving!

We are so grateful for your participation with LINK Unlimited Scholars! Thanks to the dedication and success of our High

Giving Tuesday Success

We Appreciate You! A huge thank you to everyone who supported LINK during Giving Tuesday! We set our sights on

Winter Appeal

A new day is dawning, and the next generation of Black students is preparing to lead!  At LINK Unlimited Scholars,

Congratulations!

Congratulations to our very own LINK President and CEO, Dr. Toinette Gunn, who was selected as a 2025 Chicago Defender

Recent Grants

We’re so grateful to all of our supporters who invest in LINK Unlimited Scholars throughout the year. Recently, we received

Special Thanks!

As we move through the first quarter of our new fiscal year, we’d like to take a moment to look

Welcome to New Staff

We’re thrilled to welcome three new staff members to the LINK team: Michael Happ, VP, Advancement; Alexandria Cummings, VP, Programs

Cool LINK Video

Check out this video about LINK’s history and legacy!  We’re so proud of our impact in helping our Scholars to,

Driving Fore a Difference Recap

Our 29th Annual Driving Fore A Difference! Golf Outing on July 25 at Twin Orchard Country Club was the most

Dr. Toinette Gunn Named Crain’s Chicago Notable Black Leader

Congratulations to our own Dr. Toinette Gunn, President and CEO of LINK Unlimited Scholars, for being named to Crain’s Chicago

Thanks to Our Amazing Donors

We couldn’t do our work at LINK Unlimited Scholars without the support and financial assistance of our amazing donors! We’re

Please Support Our Spring Appeal

We’re nearing the end of our fiscal year, and we’d love to have your support in the final push of

New Staff and Board Members

Our LINK family continues to grow and expand, and we’re excited to welcome a new staff member and two new

LINK Alum Wins Pulitzer Prize

We are thrilled to announce that LINK Alum trina reynolds-tyler (Class of 2011), data director for Invisible Institute, recently won

Driving Fore A Difference

We are so excited about our 29th Annual Driving Fore A Difference Golf Outing coming up on Thursday, July 25,

LINK In the News

Huge thanks to these media outlets for shining a spotlight on LINK and our innovative approaches that are transforming education!

LINK’s Annual Impact Report

As we work to build tomorrow’s Black leaders today, we are proud to present the 2022-2023 LINK Unlimited Scholars Impact

Board Spotlight: Ken Johnson

Board Spotlight: Ken JohnsonManaging Partner and CEO of Johnson, Blumberg & Associates LLCLINK Board Chairman, LINK Mentor Chairman of the

LINK Accepted into IGNITE

We are thrilled to announce that LINK Unlimited Scholars has been accepted into the 2024 cohort of The University of

Women’s History Month: A Word from Dr. J

In celebration of Women’s History Month in March, Dr. Janine Franklin (affectionately known as Dr. J.), LINK’s VP, Programs &

Volunteer Opportunity 

Career Connections Collective Panelists Needed Are you willing to share your career path with our LINK Scholars?  We have one

Donor Spotlight: Rashod Johnson

Donor Spotlight: Rashod JohnsonPresident & CEO for Ardmore Roderick LINK Donor We’re proud to shine the Donor Spotlight on Rashod Johnson,

Recent Grants Support LINK’s Impact in Chicago

We’re incredibly grateful to these organizations for investing in the future of Black Scholars!  We appreciate all of our partners

LINK in the News

We have been making a splash in the news lately, highlighting the impact our work is having on our Scholars

Save the Date for LINK’s Annual Golf Outing!

Thursday, July 25, 2024 We can’t wait to see you at LINK’s 29th Annual “Driving Fore a Difference” Golf Outing

Welcome to Our New Staff Members

Our LINK family is growing, and we’re excited to officially welcome these six new dynamic team members! Katie AbeleAssistant to

LINK in the News

Take a look at all the ways we’re spreading the LINK mission—and please share the good news on your social

Recent Grants

Recent Grants Affirm LINK’s Mission and Impact We’re so grateful to the Finnegan Family Foundation, the Chicago Sunday Evening Club,

Volunteer Opportunity

Career Connections Collective Panelists Needed Are you willing to share your career path with our LINK Scholars? We’re seeking several