Charlie Allen

Charlie was a son, brother, cousin, nephew and friend to many. Charlie had a smile that drew you in and left an indelible impression on everyone he met. He was a sharp dresser and a great dancer. Charlie loved outdoor music festivals, TED Talks, Rolling Rock beer, Uncle Mao’s orange chicken, and cold brew coffee. He achieved the rank of Eagle Scout in high school and was darn proud of it!

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Charlie experienced a rocky start to college and had difficulty embracing the life of a college student. Charlie’s mental health began to decline and he was not consistently accepting of the help and treatment that was available to him. Charlie hid his emotional pain and did not share his mental health struggles with friends or family. Charlie eventually settled into the study of Philosophy at the University of Illinois at Chicago and was a student there at the time of his death. We remind all young people that you are loved and not alone. We urge you to seek help if you are struggling with mental health issues.

 

Charlie was a kind soul and always available to his friends to provide a shoulder to lean on or an ear to listen. It is in Charlie’s name that we established this scholarship in an effort to assist UIC students with tuition expenses.