Success Story

After graduating from Whitney M. Young Magnet High School, where she captured the Illinois state tennis title in 2018, Lauren Williamson ’15 continued her athletic and academic career at Loyola University Maryland. There, she served as team captain, interned with the White House in 2021, and graduated cum laude in 2023.

In the spring of 2026, she will graduate from the University of Illinois College of Law, where she earned the Walter Jones Scholarship, contributed as an editor of the Journal of Law, Technology and Policy, and participated in the Sports Law and Entertainment Society. She plans to sit for the Illinois bar exam in July before joining Foley and Mansfield LLP as an insurance defense attorney.

Lauren remains closely connected to FXW, where many of her closest friendships began. Reflecting on her experience, she shares, “FXW has always felt like home to me. I was surrounded by people who genuinely cared about me, pushed me to chase my dreams, and reminded me every day to be kind to others. And that is exactly why CATC’s Mission means so much. Every kid deserves access to that experience, regardless of what their family’s financial situation looks like.”

For Lauren, returning to speak at CATC’s Bright Futures Dinner is more than a milestone—it is a full-circle moment. It is a chance to give back to the community that shaped her, to honor the people who believed in her, and to help ensure that future students are given the same opportunity to grow, belong, and dream without limits.

“The diversity that CATC makes possible is part of what makes FXW so special. I cannot wait to see so many familiar faces at the Bright Futures dinner.”