CME Group Scholarship Offers New Horizons for Recipient

For most people, quickly skimming email messages about work, school or the latest sale has become a part of their typical morning routine. But for Stevens School of Business student Aylin Erdal, one inbox notification turned out to be a life-changing message.

Aylin learned she had received a $20,000 scholarship from the CME Group Foundation.

“I was in complete shock,” she recalled about the moment. “I couldn’t believe it. My dad was home, and I rushed downstairs to tell him. My entire family was thrilled for me.”

Embracing New Experiences

This exciting opportunity came after a shift in her ambition resulted in her choice to attend Stevens. Initially interested in corporate law, Aylin soon realized she was more drawn to the business aspect of the field rather than the legal side of things. When Aylin began her search for business programs, Stevens kept appearing in her research. “I was really impressed with the strong rankings and outcomes,” she said. It was a visit to the Hoboken campus that helped her make her decision. “Once I saw the campus in person, I knew Stevens was the one.”

Now in her second year as a business & technology major, Aylin has fully embraced all that Stevens has to offer. She has immersed herself in campus life, balancing roles as a peer career coach, a student leader and a participant in several student organizations. This mindset, coupled with advice she received from her high school guidance counselor about always applying for scholarships, led to her decision to pursue the CME Group Foundation scholarship. “I figured, why not? You never know what can happen unless you try.”

Her decision paid off. She was one of 18 students selected to receive a $20,000 scholarship that is renewable for up to three years.

Institutional Relationship

Stevens is notably the only school outside of the Chicago metro area to have a scholarship recipient. The School of Business and the CME Group Foundation have almost a decade-long history dating back to when the Foundation supported Stevens’ Hanlon Financial Systems Center’s SHiFT project.

The Chicago Mercantile Exchange Trust created the CME Group Foundation to support future leaders in the areas of finance, computer science and technology through financial assistance and career development. Aylin is among more than 100 total recipients of more than $3.5 million in aid awarded since the scholarship launched in 2019.

A World of Opportunity

In addition to the scholarship, Aylin also had an unforgettable experience visiting Chicago Mercantile Exchange’s headquarters. CME Group executives hosted a Day of Recognition and Market Education for recipients. “I was so surprised when I found out they were flying me to Chicago,” Aylin said. She was even joined on her trip by one of last year’s Stevens recipients, Camila Crespo.

During the visit, Aylin walked the trading floors, participated in breakout sessions and networked with employees. Being in the Windy City was a bucket-list moment for her. “Chicago has always been a city I wanted to visit, and this scholarship made that dream come true.” It also helped her envision a future outside her East Coast bubble. “I used to think New York was the only option, but now I see there’s a whole world of opportunities out there.”

For Aylin, the CME scholarship isn’t just financial support, it’s a reminder that she’s on the right path and has everything it takes to succeed. “The scholarship has given me the confidence to trust my instincts and push myself even further into my aspirations for the financial sector."