The Sachs Foundation, a Colorado Springs-based organization dedicated to helping Black Coloradans further their education, has awarded nearly $2 million in scholarships and financial aid to its 94th class of scholars, officials announced.
On Sunday, the nonprofit hosted the 53 newest Sachs scholars, as well as family members and Sachs alumni, during a celebration at Colorado College.
The announcement comes at an “interesting” time for higher education, according to foundation president Ben Ralston. In 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that race cannot be a factor in admission to colleges and universities, effectively putting an end to Affirmative Action. Additionally, the Trump administration has taken several actions aimed at eliminating diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives from U.S. universities, decrying such programs as discriminatory.
“It’s a very interesting time to be doing racial equity work, especially as it applies to scholarships and funding higher education, given the political climate of the time,” Ralston said.
“But we’ve been around for 94 years, and have seen many different political moments and many different administrations, and our mission has remained the same.”
Since the foundation’s 1931 inception, nearly 3,300 undergraduate and graduate scholars have received more than $42 million in grants and scholarships, officials said. More than 200 Sachs scholars are currently attending 80 institutions across the U.S.
“We believe every class is outstanding, but what sticks out to me is that so many members of this class want to go out and change the world by improving health care and social justice,” Ralston said.
“They know better than anyone the opportunity gap that still exists, so they are becoming incredible advocates for their communities and for each other. That’s the thing that makes us feel so confident in investing in this group.”
Sachs scholar Briona Robinson, a recent graduate of Fountain Valley School, said she hopes to become a cardiothoracic surgeon, partly because of the lack of Black female doctors in the field. According to the American Association for Thoracic Surgery, there were only 12 Black female cardiothoracic surgeons in the U.S. as of 2019.
“I’ve always loved STEM (science, technology, engineering and math), and I’ve known since I was little that I wanted to be a surgeon,” said Robinson, who will major in biology and pre-med at Howard University. “(Lack of diversity) is a big problem in that field, and I hope to inspire others like me to help change that.”
Author Ta-Nehisi Coates, left, speaks with Sachs Foundation board member Aisha Praught-Leer during a celebration of the 2025 class of Sachs scholars at Colorado College on Sunday.
On Sunday, Robinson and her fellow Sachs scholars were treated to a conversation between Olympian runner Aisha Praught-Leer and visiting author Ta-Nehisi Coates. Coates, an award-winning journalist and activist, told the students that they are much further along the path to success than he was at their age.
“I was a terrible student,” said Coates, who reportedly dropped out of college in the 1990s. “I guarantee you that you are, at this very moment, about 100 light-years ahead of where I was when I was your age.”
The author congratulated the Sachs students on their efforts toward closing the educational and financial gap that still exists between Black students and their White peers.
According to Ralston, the average Black student graduates from college with about $25,000 more debt than the average White undergraduate. Black students are also more likely to drop out of school for financial reasons.
“These scholarships are still needed,” he said. “This is a difficult political moment, but that does not shake us. It reminds us why we’re here.”
As a private entity, the Sachs Foundation is able to continue its work despite threats to withhold federal funding from institutions with DEI programs, Ralston said.
“We have stayed steadfast in this mission through segregation, through the backlash of the civil rights movement, and through decades of resistance to racial progress,” he said. “And we’re going to continue to invest in these incredible scholars for as long as the racial equity gap exists for Black Coloradans.”
