Scholarship America

Scholarship America
Founded1958
FounderDr. Irving A. Fradkin
Founded atFall River, Massachusetts
TypeEducational
Location
  • Minneapolis, Minnesota
Key people
Mike Nylund (President & CEO)
WebsiteOfficial website

Scholarship America is a Minnesota-based American philanthropic organization that assists communities, corporations, foundations and individuals with fundraising, managing and awarding scholarships to students. The organization designs, administers and manages corporate and foundation scholarship programs; it also operates Dollars for Scholars, a coalition of local scholarship organizations in communities across the United States.

Scholarship America also administers several special scholarship initiatives, including the Dreamkeepers Emergency Financial Aid program for community college students, and the Families of Freedom Scholarship Fund, which has to date distributed more than $100 million to dependents of those killed or disabled during the September 11, 2001 attacks, and will provide financial assistance to dependents in need through the 2030 academic year.[1]

Dollars for Scholars was founded in 1958 by Dr. Irving Fradkin, an optometrist in Fall River, Massachusetts, and Scholarship America was officially chartered under the name "Citizens' Scholarship Foundation of America" on May 15, 1961. Scholarship America's President and CEO is Mike Nylund.[2]

In fiscal year 2016, Scholarship America distributed more than $225 million to more than 100,000 American and international students through its programs.[3] In 2012, Forbes ranked Scholarship America as the 83rd largest U.S. charity (out of 100) with total revenues of $155 million.[4]

  1. ^ Ishayi, Edna. "Foundation Sends Kin of 9/11 Victims to College". NYTimes.com. Retrieved 5 December 2014.
  2. ^ "Mike Nylund President & CEO, Ex Officio Board Member". scholarshipamerica.org. Retrieved 29 March 2022.
  3. ^ "Scholarship America Annual Report 2016 - Focus, Stability, and Accountability". Retrieved 27 January 2017.
  4. ^ "Scholarship America". Forbes. Retrieved 10 July 2013.