AUSL Annual Benefit Dinner 2024
Empowering Students
Tuesday, May 7th, 2024
AUSL’s Annual Benefit Dinner raises funds to improve educational outcomes for students in Chicago and across the country. Through our programs and partnerships, we work to support whole-child growth from the classroom to the district level. In Chicago, we focus on diversifying the educator workforce to serve Diverse Learner, STEM, Art, and Early Childhood students and equipping educators to support students’ academic, social, and emotional growth. Across the country, we help transform students’ educational experiences by partnering with districts to unlock the power of their communities in reimagining and implementing rigorous and affirming student experiences in the classroom. Funds raised from the dinner will directly fund the teacher training, coaching, and school leadership development of educators across AUSL’s 91+ Partner Schools in the Chicago Teacher Residency and LiberatED Way.
View the event site for online registration and event details. CLICK HERE.
Our Honorees:
Dr. Donald Feinstein:
AUSL is proud to honor our Executive Director, Dr. Donald Feinstein, as he transitions into his retirement after two decades of transformational leadership. Twenty-three years ago, Martin Koldyke approached then experienced westside CPS principal Donald Feinstein and former Chicago Public Schools CEO Arne Duncan with a vision that aspiring teachers in a year-long residency program would stay in Chicago’s most under-resourced schools. Out of this partnership, a radical new model for teacher preparation was developed.
Throughout his career, Dr. Feinstein has consistently demonstrated his dedication to transforming the lives of students in under-served communities. Dr. Feinstein has held positions at every level of the education system including K-8 Classroom Teacher, Special Education Teacher, Network Coach, City-Wide Special Education Administrator, School Principal, and Executive Director, each marked by his innovative approaches and unwavering advocacy for students.
As Executive Director of AUSL, he has been instrumental in shaping the organization’s mission to radically improve underperforming schools and provide every student with the high-quality education they deserve, regardless of their zip code. Under Dr. Feinstein’s guidance, AUSL has flourished, recruiting and training 1371 new teachers, improving, innovating, and successfully returning 31 schools to their geographic networks in Chicago, and leveraging those learnings to help improve 65+ schools across the country (and counting).
His strategic vision and collaborative leadership style have empowered teachers, administrators, and community stakeholders to work together towards a common goal of academic achievement and student success. Dr. Feinstein continues to inspire and lead, championing equitable access to education and advocating for the transformative power of learning.
Donna and Jack Greenberg:
AUSL is humbled to present the 2024 Champion Award to Donna and Jack Greenberg. The Greenbergs are known across Chicago as tireless champions of education. With a deep-rooted commitment to improving educational opportunities for all children, they have dedicated their lives to supporting initiatives that empower children, students, and educators alike.
Their support of AUSL has been unwavering and their dedication to providing quality education for all children spans decades. Since helping plan the first benefit dinner, Donna and Jack have been pivotal to AUSL’s continued evolution. Through their support, The Chicago Teacher Residency (CTR) program was able to scale its impact by expanding the number of Diverse Learning educators the program could train annually in partnership with DePaul University.
Donna and Jack’s visionary leadership and generous support has empowered educators and positively impacted the lives of countless students. Their philanthropic efforts extend beyond AUSL, as they generously support organizations like Cradles to Crayons, The Field Museum, DePaul University, CASA of Lake County, Boys and Girls Clubs, and The Institute of International Education furthering their commitment to uplifting children. Their legacy serves as an inspiration to others, encouraging continued efforts to create positive change and provide equal opportunities for all children.
Northern Trust:
AUSL is honored to present Northern Trust with the 2024 Corporate Champion Award. Since its founding in 1889, Northern Trust has embodied the principles of expertise, service and integrity — including as a philanthropic leader. As a global financial services firm with offices in 24 U.S. states and Washington, D.C., as well as across 22 locations in Canada, Europe, the Middle East and the Asia-Pacific region, Northern Trust is committed to broadening opportunities for those who have been marginalized and putting them on the path to achieve long-term financial success with focused support in the areas of food, housing, healthcare and education. In the last decade alone, Northern Trust has contributed more than $170 million and their employees performed more than 1 million hours of volunteering to support nonprofit and non-governmental organizations.
As the largest headquartered bank in Chicago, Northern Trust has demonstrated a specific commitment to educational opportunities in its hometown of Chicago. Over the past two decades, Northern Trust has championed AUSL’s work, providing support for quality educational resources in schools and The Chicago Teacher Residency. We are thrilled to present Northern Trust with this year’s corporate citizenship award.
