The CDGA Foundation Scholarship & Grant Program consists of an array of education opportunities for youth throughout the Chicago District. The CDGA | UVS Swing Club Veteran Scholarship is awarded to dependents of a veteran, carrying on the organization’s long-standing support of our nation’s heroes.
One of three 2025 recipients of this award is Gabrielle Markham Elliott, a Bolingbrook native attending University of Illinois Chicago. Learn more about Gabrielle and the scholarship’s impact via the video and below.
CDGA Scholar Profile
Name: Gabrielle Markham Elliott
Hometown: Bolingbrook
Age: 18
High School Attended: Bolingbrook High School
College Attending: Joliet Junior College (Freshman)
Major: Education
2025 Scholarship Amount: $5,000
Extracurricular Activities: Soccer (Team Captain), Northern Will County Special Recreation Association
In Gabrielle’s Words: “The summer after my sophomore year I worked at a summer camp for individuals with special needs. This was an incredibly invoking and educational summer. The diverse environment enlightened my point of view on life and how some people are privileged, and they do not realize it. It brought me immense joy providing the kids with a great summer. Although it was difficult and challenging at times, the happiness of helping people overpowered those challenges.”