Who We Are

The Ron Brown Scholar Fund is a public 501c3 charity and administers the Ron Brown Scholar Program (RBSP). Established in 1996 by Anthony M. Pilaro to honor the late Secretary of Commerce, RBSP is a college scholarship and leadership program for African American students.  Our three initiatives support young people who share Ron Brown’s dedication to individual excellence, leadership, and public service:

  • The Ron Brown Scholarship is a national scholarship for low-income African American high school seniors. Ron Brown Scholars receive $40,000 toward their college of choice, and are provided mentoring, leadership experiences, and service opportunities. 
  • Ron Brown – Ruth and Norman Rales Leaders Network extends our career services and professional development to the top 2-3% of Scholarship applicants. No additional application is required– “Captains” are invited to join based on their application to the Ron Brown Scholarship competition. 
  • Guided Pathway Support Program (GPS) is a free innovative college access initiative for African American high school juniors and seniors (as well as their parents and counselors). Our high-tech, high-touch approach, provides students the mentoring, information, and inspiration they need to make college accessible.

Mission

The Ron Brown Scholar Program is committed to improving the lives of intellectually gifted, community and public service-minded African Americans by accelerating their progress into impactful leadership roles and opportunities.   

Vision

The vision of the Ron Brown Scholar Program is to cultivate the next generation of transformational leaders who positively impact their communities and blaze new paths in their chosen careers and professions.