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/ CBS Chicago
CHICAGO (CBS) — Loyola University Chicago this week announced an honor for fallen Chicago Police Officer Aréanah Preston, in the form of a scholarship in her name.
Preston was shot and killed coming up on two years ago — a week before she had been set to receive her master’s degree in jurisprudence from the Loyola University School of Law.
“Aréanah’s hopes and dreams have always been bigger than I can imagine,” Preston’s mother, Denise Mhoon, said Wednesday. “Ari was always helping, helping anyone.”
With that in mind, Mhoon created the Peace for Preston Foundation the month her daughter was shot to death in a robbery attempt in front of her home. Early on the morning of Saturday, May 6, 2023, Preston, 24, had just finished her shift when police said four people tried to rob her just steps from her door—and at least two of them fired shots and took her life.
Through donations and fundraising, the foundation Preston’s mother created has raised $100,000 to create an endowment for the Aréanah Preston Memorial Scholarship.
“With the endowment, even when I’m gone, it’ll still be here,” Mhoon said.
The foundation also offers programs and mentoring for young people. Four young men were arrested for Preston’s murder.
“And I’m quite sure that that night, she probably had a conversation with them, trying to make them choose something else,” Mhoon said tearfully. “The foundation is basically trying to save our youth from, you know, turning into those four gentlemen that killed my daughter. That is my mission.”
The scholarship is for Chicago Police officers who want to pursue master’s degrees in law at the Loyola School of Law, like Preston did.
Preston’s mother thinks back to graduation day a week after Preston’s life was taken. Mhoon walked across the stage to receive the diploma her daughter had earned.
“She wanted to go into part of the FBI. She was doing interviews for the FBI, so she was really strong-headed about law enforcement,” Mhoon said. “That was her calling, law enforcement.”
Through the scholarship, Preston’s calling will live on in the hearts and minds of generations to come. Mhoon said she herself plans to attend the graduation of every scholarship recipient and cheer them on.
Loyola is accepting donations for the scholarship.
Suzanne Le Mignot serves as CBS2 Chicago’s weekend news morning anchor and weekday reporter.
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©2025 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.
