Graham School of Continuing Liberal and Professional Studies

The Graham School is a one-of-a-kind intellectual community that brings the best of the University of Chicago to lifelong learners seeking intellectual discovery and discernment. Your gift to Graham’s mission can have double the impact this Giving Day. Thanks to a generous gift from Basic Program alumna Susan Padula, every gift made on March 25 and 26 will be matched up to $25,000.

“The Graham School and its Basic Program have enriched my life at every stage of adulthood. Whether as a young mom at home with kids looking to meet people and talk deeply about books, a busy professional and entrepreneur needing to take a break and think about something other than my work, or as a retiree with time now to meet and engage on topics I’ve always wanted to learn about, the Graham School has been there for me, and I am happy now to return the favor. I hope you will join me in supporting Graham this Giving Day and offering up the power and joy of lifelong learning to others.”

—Sue Padula (Basic Program)

Graham has set a goal of raising $100,000 to support scholarships that will open our classrooms to more students during the 2025–26 academic year. Gifts of any size to the Graham School Annual Fund allow us to sustain our high-quality education while broadening access to more learners.

Your giving provides access to Graham for more lifelong learners, sustaining the pedagogical values upon which our programs are founded. Your gifts on Giving Day make an immediate impact on ensuring our programs are accessible to learners from all walks of life.

“I’m only halfway through winter, year two of the Basic Program of Liberal Education for Adults and already feel a great deal of personal growth! I’m lucky enough to have the best instructors, and my classmates have become mentors and friends. Lunches after class demonstrate the kind of close-knit community we have formed. The texts are rich, complex, and addicting—we always look forward to class discussions!”

—Dulce María Díaz, Basic Program student and scholarship recipient