The Brenda Hoskins and Pete Bushelman High School Scholarship was recently established to support a student throughout their four years of high school.

Since the inception of CISE, Pete Bushelman has been fundraising through the Friends of CISE Raffle, a legacy that endures to this day. His impact extends further, inspiring his late friend Brenda Hoskins to include CISE in her trust.

The Story: Brenda Hoskins, originally from Cheltenham, England, arrived in the US as a war bride with nothing but a dream and a determined spirit to succeed. Similar to the opportunities provided to children through scholarships to Catholic high schools, Brenda herself was given a chance when Pete Bushelman, her banker, demonstrated faith in her by granting her a business loan when all other banks had rejected her. Thanks to Pete’s compassionate gesture, Brenda went on to achieve success as a businesswoman, establishing and expanding several lucrative ventures. Her legacy lives on through a trust that honors the banker who became her cherished friend.

Pete Bushelman was one of the first business executives to accept the invitation of Archbishop Joseph Bernardin to join the CISE Advisory Board established in 1980. When the Advisory Board was formed, Pete was a Vice President at Central Trust Bank (now PNC). Pete never stopped helping CISE. He stayed on the Advisory Board for over two decades and started the first fundraiser for CISE, which was called the “Friends of CISE Raffle.” The raffle has raised over $2 million and is still in existence today. Pete’s relentless efforts have significantly impacted the lives of countless young individuals who received a solid academic and spiritual foundation at Catholic inner-city schools over the past 43 years.

The Brenda Hoskins and Pete Bushelman High School Scholarship was recently established to support a student throughout four years of high school. Brenda’s generous contribution aims to empower a CISE student to graduate with a robust and attainable plan for success.

In addition, Brenda’s trustees issued a matching gift challenge so that others can join in honoring the memories of both Brenda and Pete and contribute to making the dream of a four-year high school scholarship a reality for CISE student.

The need is growing: CISE anticipates over 100 incoming first-year students who will need a high school scholarship starting in the 2024-2025 school year.