Jackie Robinson Foundation
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Mission Statement
Established in 1973 by Rachel Robinson as a meaningful way to perpetuate the memory of her husband, the Jackie Robinson Foundation (JRF) is one of the nation's premier education and leadership development program for minority students. In addition to financial assistance, the nonprofit Foundation equips its scholarship recipients with a comprehensive set of support services including extensive, hands-on mentoring, internship placement, career guidance and practical life skills, resulting in a nearly 100% graduation rate, more than twice the national average for African American college students. The over 1,450 JRF alumni are leaders in their professional fields and active ambassadors of Jackie Robinson's legacy of community service. Since its founding, JRF has provided over $65 million to support students who have attended over 100 different colleges and universities across the country.
About This Cause
The Jackie Robinson Foundation (JRF) provides financial assistance as well as education, career and leadership development opportunities for students of color with strong capabilities as they pursue higher education. The Foundation strives to assure that the legacy of Jackie Robinson’s civic engagement and commitment to equal opportunity will be carried forth in the personal and professional lives of its constituents as they assume leadership roles throughout society. Since 1973, JRF has provided $65 million in financial scholarships and programmatic support to 1,450 students across the nation. This year, JRF is supporting 217 students attending 100 colleges and universities nationwide. Since its inception, JRF has validated that with a combination of financial assistance and a rigorous, hands-on program of support, minority students can graduate from college at significantly higher rates, fully prepared to enter an increasingly competitive global workforce. A core function of JRF’s Mentoring and Leadership Development Program (MLDP) is to provide annual, renewable scholarship awards to JRF Scholars for tuition and other education expenses. JRF relies on its program staff and over 100 volunteers across the country from a variety of professional fields to administer year-round mentoring and program support that works in tandem with its generous financial support, leading to the nearly 100% graduation rate. JRF Scholars are assigned both professional and peer mentors to help with a wide variety of issues ranging from academic curriculum planning to career choices and work/life balance decisions. The MLDP’s central touch point each year is a four-day “Mentoring and Leadership Conference” (MLC) in New York City (all travel and expenses covered by JRF), consisting of developmental workshops, career exploration seminars, meetings with key public and private sector leaders, cultural and recreational outings, and practical life skills classes. This is supplemented throughout the year with a series of webinars and workshops building upon the lessons of the conference and with interactions on a local level with JRF’s core of professional mentors. Additionally, JRF develops, promotes and facilitates internship and permanent job opportunities for JRF Scholars. JRF currently places 65% of its Scholars in internships. Still other opportunities are offered through JRF’s Rachel Robinson International Fellowship (RRIF) program and Extra Innings Fellowship, allowing select JRF Scholars to work and study abroad, and to receive funding and mentoring through graduate study, respectively. JRF Scholars are required to participate in substantive community service projects as part of their four-year scholarship award, which instills a strong sense of purpose and self-esteem and provides exposure to their communities in positive ways. Through JRF’s community service requirement, JRF Scholars impact some 30,000 lives annually. Last year, JRF launched JRF Connect, a mobile website and mentoring app compatible with smart phones, tablets and personal computers. JRF Connect gives Scholars the opportunity to interact in real-time with professional mentors from across the country, who provide both general and nuanced information on a variety of professional fields and topics. Also launched last year, JRF has instituted a new program through which Scholars and recent alumni are awarded grants for preparatory classes for graduate school degrees. Jackie Robinson Foundation applicants are minority high school seniors, who have been accepted to a four-year accredited college or university, and who have demonstrated high academic achievement and financial need. Applicants must also demonstrate that they are motivated and show evidence of leadership potential and interest in their communities. Each year, nearly 3,000 mostly African American applicants compete for 40-50 JRF scholarship awards, and less than 5% were selected as JRF Scholars. Jackie Robinson Foundation Scholars represent the diversity of the employment landscape and can be found in the classroom and the courtroom; laboratory and surgical theater; on the campaign trail and in the concert hall.