Scholarships

Many students do not apply for scholarships because they assume they will not win. They may think that scholarships require near-perfect grades or – for more holistic scholarships – a long list of traditional accolades. Some students may not know anyone who has won a scholarship and assume scholarships are for others, not them. The scholarship programs we support develop recruitment strategies that reach a diverse pool of talented applicants, including students who might not otherwise apply.

Access to opportunity differs enormously from one student to another. Metrics like academic record or a list of accolades and achievements often tells us more about how much access a young person has had to opportunity rather than their future leadership potential. The scholarships we support take a contextual approach: they look at what a young person has done with the opportunities afforded them to date. In their selections processes, these scholarships seek to understand a young person’s underlying values and motivations, their propensity to see and respond to needs in the communities they are part of, as well as evidence of qualities such as integrity, empathy, self-awareness, resilience, perseverance, curiosity, an entrepreneurial spirit, and hard work.

The scholarships we support include a financial award, which can be transformational in allowing a young person to focus on their growth trajectory. These scholarships also include elements such as mentorship, additional leadership curriculum and workshops, work experiences, and access to other leaders and networks. These elements equip scholarship recipients with the competencies and confidence they need to grow into their full potential and become purpose-driven leaders over the course of their lives.