Reverend Pinckney College Readiness & Scholars Programs
T
he Reverend Pinckney College Readiness and Scholarship Programs (Pinckney Programs) open doors to higher education for low-income high school students from historically underrepresented communities.
The Pinckney Programs were created by anonymous donors to honor Rev. Clementa Pinckney, one of the nine Black worshippers murdered by a white supremacist at the Emanuel AME Church in 2015. Another group of anonymous donors expanded the program to benefit more students.
The Pinckney Programs were established to break down systemic barriers in local communities in South Carolina that face educational and wealth disparities. Through support, financial resources, programming and community, the Pinckney Programs help ensure students’ success leading up to, during and after college.
The Pinckney Programs are for college-bound Black students in Beaufort, Charleston, Colleton, Hampton and Jasper counties.
At just 23-years-old, Rev. Pinckney was the youngest African-American elected to the South Carolina state legislature in 1996. 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.
Reverend Pinckney College Readiness
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This program provides students from historically underrepresented communities tailored support and resources throughout the college application process to help them prepare for, research, evaluate and select which college is right for them.
Reverend Pinckney Scholarship Program
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This program promotes access to higher education for students through tuition support, mentoring, and professional training throughout college.