In Their Own Words: What Does It Mean to Be a Tillman Scholar?

In a time when our country faces some of its greatest challenges, it’s clear that leadership matters, especially the humble leadership exemplified by the nearly 700 remarkable Tillman Scholars that we unite and empower. That’s why we chose “Leadership Matters,” as our 2020 theme, the type of leadership that we foster and see in all of our scholars.

As we kick off our 2020 Annual Giving Campaign, we wanted to share perspectives from a few of our Tillman Scholars on how this program goes beyond scholarships to foster leadership development and a global community of support.

“I always say if you ever want to solve any of the many issues that the world faces right now, you put enough Tillman scholars in the room, and that discussion will begin to happen and the solution may be there,” said Samuel Innocent, 2013 Tillman Scholar.  “Being a Tillman Scholar automatically inducted me into a community where I’m able to have resources that I’ve always wanted—the wealth of knowledge that I’ve always wanted, the support that I’ve always wanted and couldn’t find elsewhere. “

Through Dec. 31, we’re asking our supporters to make a tax-deductible gift to the Pat Tillman Foundation and help fund our next generation of private and public sector leaders, dedicated to making an impact on their communities as they lead through action and carry on Pat’s legacy of scholarship, service, humble leadership and impact. Every dollar counts, and each one creates an opportunity for U.S. service members, veterans and military spouses who are ready to begin their next chapter as leaders in their communities and across the world.

“Part of what people don’t understand is it’s so much bigger than the scholarship itself,” said Bridgette Bell, 2017 Tillman Scholar. “Being in this community has truly been a blessing. I’m grateful for the opportunities, the networking, the mentorship, the support.”

If you’d like to contribute to our annual giving campaign, please visit http://give.ptf.org.