Awardees include rising and current college students from Chicago pursuing business and finance degrees
Chicago, IL – August 31, 2026 – HRP Group (HRP), a vertically integrated real estate investment and redevelopment firm headquartered in Chicago, is proud to announce the recipients of its 2026 HRP Scholars program: local students Sabetai Matias and Juan Padilla.
Since 2019, the HRP Scholars program has provided scholarships to students in Southwest Chicago to assist with their tuition and academic expenses. To date, HRP has awarded over $145,000 in scholarships to 17 local students. This year's awardees will each receive $10,000 to support their higher education goals.
“The HRP Scholars program is one of the many ways our company remains committed to extending our impact beyond the boundaries of our project sites and into the surrounding community,” said HRP CEO Roberto Perez. “This year’s scholars have exemplified curiosity, drive and determination, and we are excited to support Sabetai and Juan in their academic and professional journeys. At HRP, we are committed to continuing to invest in preparing young Chicagoans to become the next generation of leaders, builders and innovators.”
Sabetai Matias, a recent high school graduate, will begin her freshman year at the University of Illinois Chicago this fall and plans to major in business.
"As I look ahead to my college journey, I am grateful to have received this scholarship from HRP Group to assist me in pursuing my academic and career goals,” said Ms. Matias. “This award shows me that my hard work is recognized and valued and motivates me to continue to put in that same effort as I begin this next chapter.”
Juan Padilla, a junior at the University of Illinois Chicago, is studying finance with future aspirations of a career in the private sector.
“I am humbled to be recognized by HRP with this scholarship to support me as I continue my academic journey,” said Mr. Padilla. “This honor empowers me to keep pursuing my goals in the classroom and in my future career, and I am grateful for HRP’s investment in students like me to become leaders in our classrooms, our workplaces, and our communities."
HRP, which specializes in complex redevelopment projects across the United States, is committed to maximizing its impact in the communities surrounding project sites through initiatives like the HRP Scholars program. HRP's holistic approach to redevelopment prioritizes environmental, community, and economic sustainability.
In Chicago, HRP led the redevelopment of the former Crawford Station power plant in 2021, transforming the 70-acre site in the Little Village neighborhood into Exchange 55, setting a new standard for sustainable industrial redevelopment. The completed facility is now Chicago’s largest LEED-certified industrial building, featuring the city’s largest rooftop solar array and supporting more than 2,000 jobs. Adjacent to Exchange 55 is the Lawndale Fleet Storage Yard, previously a minimally maintained gravel lot, which features sustainable infrastructure including bioswales, underground stormwater traps, electric vehicle charging infrastructure, and the planting of over 450 native trees in addition to 700 trees at Exchange 55.
The HRP Scholars program is also active in Philadelphia where HRP is transforming a 1,300-acre former oil refinery into The Bellwether District, a next-generation industrial and innovation campus with a commitment to providing $250,000 in scholarship funds for local students over 10 years.
About HRP Group
HRP Group is a vertically integrated, multi-strategy real estate investment company specializing in the transformation of obsolete industrial sites into modern logistics infrastructure, mixed-use destinations, and pioneering innovation hubs. The firm takes a holistic approach to value creation that prioritizes community, environmental, and economic sustainability. For more information, visit www.hrpgroup.com.
