Scholarship America Announces 2025 Irving Innovation Award Honorees

MINNEAPOLIS – November 3, 2025 – On Wednesday, November 12, Scholarship America, the nation’s largest scholarship administrator, will host the second annual Irving Innovation Awards in Washington, D.C. at The Dupont Circle Hotel. This inspiring evening will bring together executives, philanthropists, and educational leaders to celebrate the transformative impact of Scholarship America’s programs and to honor scholarship sponsors for their excellence and innovative approaches.

These awards reflect the vision of organization founder Dr. Irving Fradkin, whose pioneering work in establishing community-based scholarships has grown into a nationwide movement. The son of Russian immigrants, Dr. Fradkin graduated from the Massachusetts College of Optometry and established a practice in Fall River, Massachusetts. After years of hearing from patients who dreamed of college but couldn’t afford it, Dr. Fradkin gathered his neighbors to initiate community scholarship fundraising. In May 1958, Dr. Fradkin’s vision became a reality, and the first “Dollars for Scholars” scholarships were awarded to graduating Fall River seniors.

Today, that community effort has grown into Scholarship America. With more than $5.7 billion in scholarships distributed to more than 3.2 million students, the organization is the nation’s largest administrator of scholarships.

The Irving Innovation Awards spotlight organizations that have reimagined what it means to support students—ensuring their initiatives not only provide financial aid but also create holistic opportunities for personal and professional growth. These efforts are making a profound difference, not just in the lives of individual students, but also in the communities and industries they touch. We are proud to honor these 15 program sponsors and two outstanding Dollars for Scholars chapters.

AbbVie Inc.

The AbbVie Immunology Scholarship helps build meaningful educational pathways for students and families living with a range of autoimmune diseases. The program provides substantial, renewable awards across all educational levels—from associate degrees through doctoral programs—and evaluates applicants based on their ability to serve as positive role models in the immunology community. This holistic approach allows students to transform their personal health challenges into platforms for leadership and inspiration.

Alabama Power Foundation

Alabama Power’s scholarship program exemplifies a deep investment in both their workforce families and the state of Alabama’s educational landscape. The program’s dual approach — offering full tuition coverage for one four-year student and one vocational/technical student attending Alabama institutions, plus twenty additional $2,500 awards — demonstrates a comprehensive understanding that success takes many forms, and both local and national focus have a role to play.

Aramark

Over two decades, the Aramark Correctional Services IN2WORK (I2W) program has worked with thousands of incarcerated individuals and their families, offering educational programs and foodservice industry certifications for a path to success both during and post-incarceration. By offering scholarships to program graduates as well as their family members, Aramark is leveraging the power of education to help people change their trajectories and build positive futures.

CLA Foundation

The CLA Foundation Opportunity Scholarship program, started in 2025, is a model of a meaningful, student-centered new scholarship, offering high-impact $15,000 awards to 75 students pursuing finance, accounting, business, and emerging fields like AI and legal technology. The program intentionally reaches students from both urban and rural communities where CLA (CliftonLarsonAllen) offices are located, with a focus on fostering diversity and long-term career pathways — including potential internships — in underrepresented industries.

Dunkin’

Dunkin’s Regional Scholarship Programs in Baltimore/Metro DC and Philadelphia represent a thoughtful approach to regional community investment that extends beyond their customer base. The program’s structure—local Dunkin’ franchisees award fifty recipients $2,500 in scholarships in the Baltimore/Metro DC area and twenty recipients $5,000 in scholarships in Greater Philadelphia area—reflects an understanding of local market dynamics and community needs and allows for franchisees to create an impact while building lasting connections between the brand and local educational achievement.

Edison International

Edison’s Children of Employees Scholarship, the Edison Scholars Program (open to exceptional students in Edison’s service area) and the Edison International Lineworkers Scholarship (a partnership among Edison International shareholders, Southern California’s IBEW Local 47 and the Los Angeles Trade-Technical College) come together in an educational ecosystem that strengthens the public utility’s current and future workforce. In particular, the innovative connections to Edison’s regional community, schools and unions demonstrate exceptional strategic thinking about workforce development.

Hilton Global Foundation

The Hilton Cares Scholarship Program reflects the company’s belief that learning should be lifelong and accessible. Open to Hilton team members worldwide and students from nearly 140 countries, the program supports education and skill development across traditional and non-traditional pathways. With 90 scholarships of up to $5,000 each awarded in its first year, Hilton is removing barriers to opportunity and investing in the growth of both its workforce and global communities.

New York Life Insurance Company

New York Life’s Financial Empowerment Scholarship blends financial support with real-world readiness, awarding up to $20,000 to students who complete modules in its Financial Empowerment Game — a digital tool designed to build essential personal finance skills. By focusing on both education and practical life preparation, the program demonstrates a unique commitment to student success beyond the classroom, eliminating barriers and giving students the tools they need for future success.

Niveau Philanthropy

Niveau Philanthropy is an outstanding example of Donor Advised Funds (DAFs) making an impact on students. The emergency aid program funded by Niveau provides just-in-time funding for students at eligible schools in Boulder County, Colorado who face financial setbacks that threaten their ability to stay in school. With its targeted focus on urgent needs in its local community, Niveau Philanthropy is demonstrating the impact of smart DAF investment and effective emergency aid intervention.

PGA of America REACH Foundation

The PGA WORKS John & Tamara Lundgren Scholars Program, part of the PGA of America REACH Foundation’s charitable work, provides important opportunities for talent from diverse backgrounds, including populations historically underrepresented in the golf industry. Generously supported by John & Tamara Lundgren, the program drives meaningful industry transformation, boosting talented and motivated students who are working toward PGA of America Membership through one of 16 accredited PGA Golf Management University Programs.

Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.

Stanley Black & Decker’s DEWALT Trades Scholarship program represents true innovation in the use of scholarships as a future-focused workforce development tool. By offering $5,000 awards to individuals pursuing trade degrees in construction, industrial work, mechanics, and technology, they’re investing in the broader skilled workforce that drives their industry—and, in combination with their scholarship program for employees’ children, they are strengthening both their corporate community and the skilled trades as a whole.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers Foundation

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers Foundation’s “She is Football” Scholarship is a groundbreaking initiative to support female high school seniors participating in football. By creating dedicated opportunities for young women who demonstrate the qualities learned through football participation—leadership, resilience, teamwork, and determination—the She Is Football Scholarship breaks barriers while celebrating the unique contributions of female athletes, demonstrating exceptional commitment to both gender equity and athletic achievement.

Tencent America

Tencent’s American scholarship program is a forward-thinking initiative designed to make the video game industry more accessible to the next generation of diverse storytellers, creators, and innovators. By supporting high school seniors, Tencent is removing financial barriers and opening doors to careers in one of the world’s most dynamic and creative industries—reflecting Tencent’s broader mission of using technology for good and creating opportunities that connect passion with purpose.

The Pittsburgh Foundation and The Community Foundation of Westmoreland County

The partnership between The Pittsburgh Foundation, The Community Foundation of Westmoreland County, and Scholarship America represents a collaborative approach to community-based scholarship administration. Integrating with Scholarship America Hub technology enabled applicants to access nearly $3 million in scholarships, beyond the more than $900,000 in foundation programs themselves. This model shows how community foundations can leverage professional scholarship management to create a multiplier effect that benefits the entire region.

Vertex Foundation

The Vertex Foundation Scholarship program is a model for scholarships focused on communities of patients, supporting higher education for people living with cystic fibrosis (CF) and their immediate family members or caregivers. It spotlights the applicant’s education and career goals, especially as they relate to addressing challenges within the CF community and personal resilience or inspiration influenced by living with or supporting someone with CF.

Dr. Irving Fradkin Community Impact Award: North Tama (Iowa) Dollars for Scholars

When the North Tama Dollars for Scholars chapter was established in 2019, one of their primary values was to provide impactful scholarships for students who needed them the most, particularly those going to community and technical colleges. Six years later, nearly half of the chapter’s scholarships are designated specifically for students pursuing certifications—ensuring that students on all educational and career pathways are supported by their community.

Dr. Irving Fradkin Community Champion: John Rodriguez, Worcester (Massachusetts) Latino Dollars for Scholars

John Rodriguez has been involved with Worcester Latino Dollars for Scholars (WLDS) since its founding, starting as a volunteer more than 30 years ago and serving as president since 1998. Under his leadership, the chapter has grown into one of the city’s largest Latino-serving organizations, awarding 40 scholarships of $1,000 each to graduates. He is a tireless advocate for Worcester’s students and a source of support for families, providing community-centered expertise as they navigate the complex world of higher education.

Scholarship America is a non-profit organization that eliminates barriers to educational success so that students can pursue their dream. Since 1958, Scholarship America has distributed $5.7 billion to more than 3 million students. The organization works with partners to give students the support needed to succeed. Learn more at scholarshipamerica.org.

Claire Berge Schmidt
Associate Vice President, Marketing
cbergeschmidt@scholarshipamerica.org
(952) 830-7391