Yasmine Arrington Brooks on what led her to start ScholarCHIPs for children of incarcerated parents

Yasmine Arrington Brooks (Leading with Conviction™ 2019) writes for the American Association of Colleges and Universities Fall 2025 magazine:

“When I was a toddler, I was very much a daddy’s girl. Family members have recounted how my father would hold me on his lap and play peek-a-boo. I would cry any time he left the house without me. But between the ages of two and eighteen, when he was incarcerated, I didn’t see him once. Not having my father present and active in my life led me to have insecurities. During adolescence, I would often wonder: ‘Why do some of my other friends have fathers and I don’t? Why doesn’t he want to be a part of my life?’

More than five million U.S. children have had a parent in jail or prison at some point in their lives.

“To make matters worse, my mom passed away when I was thirteen. While I had an incredible, loving grandmother who raised me and my two younger brothers—instilling in us character and life values, and emphasizing the importance of education—I had a long road ahead. As a teenager, I experienced bouts of loneliness and depression. I immersed myself in school to distract myself. Being a star student helped me to feel a sense of self-worth and belonging, and the extracurricular activities I was involved in, such as Girl Scouts, school plays, and poetry competitions, were positive. I was determined to rise above my circumstances and become a college graduate. And in 2015, I walked across the graduation stage at Elon University, supported by my professors and mentors from my scholarship programs.

“I am not alone in my background. According to a 2016 report by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, more than five million U.S. children have had a parent in jail or prison at some point in their lives. These children need to know that their familial circumstances do not have to define them or their futures. They need to know that college is a viable option for them.

“A primary obstacle for children of incarcerated parents to attending and graduating college is the high cost of tuition and of necessities like housing, books, supplies, and meal plans. Such expenses can be exorbitant for these students, who often come from low-income, fixed-income, or single-parent households. The cost often puts college out of reach for children of incarcerated parents, who don’t always know where to turn for resources. When I was going through the college selection and scholarship research process, my grandmother observed: ‘Yasmine, I see so many niche scholarships, but I do not see any for young people like yourself who have incarcerated parents.’ This epiphany led me to found ScholarCHIPS (For Children of Incarcerated Parents) in 2010 as a junior in high school. I continued running the organization—which began giving out scholarships and book awards in 2012—as a college student. I wanted to offer other students with an incarcerated parent not just funding but also a community of support made up of other young people who understand what they are going through and are like-minded in pursuing higher education and dream careers.

“In fifteen years of this work, I have discovered that even with some scholarship assistance, many children of incarcerated parents still face significant tuition gaps or shortfalls in covering the total cost of attendance. Often, these young people have to pick up one or more part-time jobs so they can afford to be in college. The financial burden adds additional stress to their lives and often discourages them from remaining in college or attending altogether.”

Read the full article at AACU.org.