The Reverend Pinckney College Readiness and Scholarship programs of Coastal Community Foundation promote access to higher education for African-American students in Beaufort, Charleston, Colleton, Hampton 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. He was the youngest African-American elected to the South Carolina state legislature in 1996 at just 23-years-old. He was elected to the South Carolina Senate in 2000, served as pastor of Emanuel AME Church in Charleston and oversaw dozens of other AME churches in the surrounding region. In both his religious and political service, he was known for his commitment to justice, education and shaping a better future for his community. 

Inspired by the positive outcomes of the programs, another group of anonymous donors in 2020 chose to invest in the Rev. Pinckney College Readiness and Scholarship programs, expanding opportunities to students in Colleton and Hampton counties. This new investment also significantly increased the number of students served in Beaufort and Jasper counties.  

Reverend Pinckney College Readiness

This program provides African American students tailored support and resources throughout the college application process to help them prepare for, research, evaluate and select which college is right for them.

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Reverend Pinckney Scholarship Program

This program promotes access to higher education for African American students through tuition support and a tailored program Scholars throughout college.

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