30 KIPP students and alumni awarded college scholarships from the Sheryl Sandberg and Dave Goldberg Family Foundation

Palo Alto, CA – May 1, 2018 – Today, KIPP and the Sheryl Sandberg and Dave Goldberg Family Foundation (SGFF) announced that 30 high school seniors have been selected as the first recipients of the Dave Goldberg Scholarship. These students were selected to be part of this inaugural cohort of Goldberg Scholars from among nearly 350 applicants.

The Goldberg Scholarship Program was established by the SGFF in October 2017 to support KIPP graduating high school seniors across the country who have demonstrated remarkable leadership and achievement. The scholarship honors the legacy of Dave Goldberg by supporting a new generation of leaders who embody Dave’s qualities of leadership, resilience, achievement, generosity, kindness, independent thinking and entrepreneurial spirit.

All 30 students in the inaugural cohort of Goldberg Scholars will receive a unique combination of financial support and mentoring during their four-year college experience. Highlights include:

  • A mentor to provide ongoing support throughout college
  • Financial support totaling approximately $15,000 a year to cover a range of non-tuition needs not traditionally covered by college-based financial aid
  • Support from Goldberg Connectors to help secure summer internships and job opportunities
  • Participation in an annual Goldberg Scholars Summer Leadership Day, where scholars will meet leaders in their chosen fields.

The 30 recipients of the Goldberg Scholarship have attended KIPP schools in 14 communities: the Arkansas Delta, Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Nashville, New Orleans, New York City, San Diego, St. Louis, the San Francisco Bay Area, and Washington, DC.  All of the recipients are students of color and many will be the first in their families to attend college. Any student who attended a KIPP school for either middle or high school and had above a 3.0 GPA was eligible to apply for the Goldberg Scholarship.

“Our family is delighted to partner with KIPP to support a new generation of students who demonstrate so many of Dave’s qualities – especially his kindness, unflagging drive, independent thinking, and entrepreneurial spirit,” said Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook COO and founder of LeanIn.Org and OptionB.Org. “Dave believed every child deserved a quality education. He would be so proud and hopeful to see the first class of Goldberg Scholars heading to college this fall.”

“The Goldberg Scholarship program is a phenomenal tribute to Dave Goldberg’s life and legacy,” said Richard Barth, CEO of the KIPP Foundation. “I had the privilege of knowing Dave, and I’m very excited that our students and alumni will be positioned to help build the better world he dreamed of thanks to the support and connections provided by the Goldberg Scholarship.”

SGFF selected the national KIPP (Knowledge Is Power Program) network of public charter schools as its partner for the Dave Goldberg Scholarship program due to KIPP’s proven track record of helping students from educationally underserved communities develop the knowledge, skills, and character strengths necessary to succeed in college and life. KIPP currently operates 209 public charter schools educating nearly 90,000 students across 20 states and the District of Columbia. KIPP students graduate from four-year colleges at a rate that is above the national average for all students, and approximately four times the average for students from similar economic backgrounds nationwide.

“Dave was passionate about the power of ideas and connecting people to make the world better,” said Rob Goldberg, Dave’s brother and Founder and CEO of Fresno. “This scholarship brings those concepts to life in a way that would delight him, especially the focus on mentorship and building a community to support the students from the start of college through their first job.”

KIPP college counselors stay in touch with their graduates through college and into alumni’s early careers. Two recent surveys of KIPP alumni in college showed that both financial and social support are crucial in persisting toward graduation day. In 2016, KIPP alumni reported that they experienced financial challenges beyond tuition expenses and had limited access to career-relevant internships. In 2017, the KIPP alumni survey showed connections between students’ sense of belonging and their mental health in college. It also showed that students who had higher GPAs reported a stronger sense of belonging.

About the Sheryl Sandberg and Dave Goldberg Foundation

The Sheryl Sandberg & Dave Goldberg Family Foundation works to build a more equal and resilient world. SGFF brings people together to support each other through three key initiatives: LeanIn.Org, OptionB.Org, and the Dave Goldberg Scholarship Program.

About KIPP

KIPP, the Knowledge Is Power Program, is a national network of 209 public charter schools that are dedicated to preparing students in educationally underserved communities for success in college and life. KIPP schools are ​part of the free public school system and enrollment is open to all students. Started in 1994 as a middle school program, KIPP has since expanded to enroll students in all grades from pre-K through high school.