Paying it forward with Yasmine Arrington Brooks ’15

Brooks '15 recent appearance on the Drew Barrymore Show marks another major milestone for her nonprofit ScholarChips.

At the end of 2023, Yasmine Arrington Brooks ’15 was named a Top 10 CNN Heroes finalist for her nonprofit, ScholarCHIPS, which supports college students who have incarcerated parents. To date, ScholarCHIPS has awarded more than $500,000 in college scholarships to 88 scholars. Her work with the organization has earned Brooks features in major publications like TeenVogue, Essence, Forbes Magazine and most recently, The Drew Barrymore Show (CBS).

As a featured “Drew Gooder,” Brooks was interviewed by Drew Barrymore, an award-winning actress, as well as renowned singer Marie Osmond and shared more about her work with ScholarCHIPS as well as the journey that led her to create her nonprofit, which supports college students with parents who are incarcerated.

Brooks and fellow EloninDC alumni packing ScholarChips care packages

While on the show, Brooks was surprised with a special message from basketball star Magic Johnson along with a surprise pledge of a $5,000 donation from both Barrymore and Osmond. To see the full episode, visit The Drew Barrymore Show website.

In addition, Brooks’ interview with British television presenter and global documentary producer, Seyi Rhodes, debuted on BBC Outlook on April 8. BBC Outlook on BBC News World Service has an estimated international audience of 97 million listeners. You can listen to the full interview here.

Regardless of her sky-rocketing success, Brooks never forgets her roots. She continues to keep the Elon Phoenix spirit alive as she partnered with EloninDC – Elon’s Alumni Chapter in Washington, D.C. – on Thursday, April 4, at the historic MLK Library. A D.C. native herself, Brooks and fellow alumni packed nearly 30 care packages for ScholarCHIPS’ college scholars.