• About the Program
  • Program Overview
  • A Message from the President
  • What Research Tells Us
  • How It Works
  • FAQs
  • History
• Be a Scholar
• College Preparation
• News
• Calendar & Activities
• Contact Us

Program Overview

Preparing urban youth to become college graduates.

Kauffman Scholars, Inc. (KSI) is a comprehensive, multi-year program designed to significantly increase the number of low-income urban students who become college graduates. All Scholars who complete the program will receive college scholarship assistance.

Since the induction of Class 4 in the Fall of 2007, there are over 1,000 Kauffman Scholars, and KSI expects to serve about 2,300 - 2,500 students over the 19 year span of the program.

Early intervention is key.

Kauffman Scholars addresses the full spectrum of college preparation, access and graduation, beginning when students enter the seventh grade. KSI recruits Scholars in the Kansas City, Missouri and Kansas City, Kansas USD #500 public school districts in the second semester of their sixth grade year.

KSI is one of the only college preparation and graduation programs in the nation that recruits students who have potential, yet may not be performing at their full potential. These students might be behind in their reading and math scores or dealing with other issues that hinder their success.

Creating opportunities for students from low-income families.

One of the requirements to become a Kauffman Scholar is related to family income. Families must either qualify for the federal free lunch program, or students must attend a school in which a majority of the students qualify for free lunch. Parents and guardians of Scholars are required to participate in activities designed to help them support their student's journey toward college graduation.

Academic enrichment, life coaching, and scholarship support.

Through KSI's intensive focus on improving motivation and academic achievement, Kauffman Scholars receive the preparation necessary to successfully pursue a college degree. Students receive intensive academic enrichment and support services, including:

• Academic coaching, tutoring, counseling, career planning, summer college campus programs, and internship experiences;
• Life coaching to provide individualized attention that helps students develop life skills, such as decision-making, character building, and conflict resolution;
• College coaching to prepare students for entrance exams and completing application, scholarship and grant forms; and
• Scholarship support for college, so Scholars graduate free of college-related debt.

Reaching 2,300 - 2,500 students.

In the Fall of 2003, The Kauffman Foundation launched the first Kauffman Scholars program. During each of the next seven years, the program will select a new class of rising seventh graders to become Kauffman Scholars. Recruiting for Class 5 will take place in March, 2008.