FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Feb. 23, 2021
Contact: Sarah Lamb
Sarah@coastalcommunityfoundation.org
854-222-3460
Coastal Community Foundation of South Carolina has expanded the Rev. Pinckney Scholarship and College Readiness programs across Beaufort, Colleton, Hampton and Jasper counties to serve 60 percent more students each year. The programs that promote access to higher education for Black students in coastal South Carolina previously served only Beaufort, Charleston, and Jasper counties.
The College Readiness program begins working with students in their junior years of high school to help them prepare for, research, evaluate and ultimately select which college is right for them. Those who complete College Readiness in the second semester of their senior years are then eligible to apply for the Rev. Pinckney Scholarship Program, which provides scholarships and other supportive resources to students throughout college.
These two programs were created by anonymous donors to honor the legacy of the late Rev. Clementa Pinckney, one of the victims of the Emanuel AME Church tragedy who embodied what it meant to be a visionary Black leader. Since the scholarship program was created in 2016, $1 million has been awarded in scholarships, and both programs have supported a total of 136 students.
Inspired by the proven success of these programs, another group of anonymous donors decided last year to invest in the programs, expanding the opportunities to students in Colleton and Hampton counties and significantly increasing the number of students served in Beaufort and Jasper counties
as well.
Now, up to 40 students will be able to participate in the Rev. Pinckney College Readiness program each year across all five counties. Beginning in May 2022, the students who complete the program will be eligible to apply for one of 16 Rev. Pinckney Scholarships.
“We’re proud that the impact of the Rev. Pinckney programs has inspired this generous investment to expand the service area, fund additional scholarships and increase access to college readiness programming for local students,” said Caroline Rakar, Director of Grantmaking and Scholarships at Coastal Community Foundation. “We’ve seen firsthand how the Rev. Pinckney programs support students in achieving long-term success during and after college. Students of Beaufort, Colleton, Hampton and Jasper counties will greatly benefit from this expansion.”
The 2021 Rev. Pinckney College Readiness cohort includes eight students from Beaufort County, one from Colleton County, four from Hampton County, and three from Jasper County. Applications for high school juniors to be considered for the next cohort are expected to be opened in October.
Coastal Community Foundation of South Carolina is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that works to create vibrant communities by uniting people and investing resources across Beaufort, Berkeley, Charleston, Colleton, Dorchester, Georgetown, Hampton, Horry and Jasper counties. Through our tools for long-term charitable giving, we help individuals, families, businesses and organizations be the reason why communities thrive in the nine counties we serve along South Carolina’s coast. To learn more, visit coastalcommunityfoundation.org or call (843) 723-3635
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