Helping leaders make real change
Tillman Scholars are finding comprehensive solutions to everything from water scarcity, to human rights, to national security. With your contributions and support, we’re able to identify and empower the next generation of leaders who are dedicated to service beyond self. The Tillman Scholar community is making a real impact in the world.
Honoring a Legacy
Pat’s story on the football field and the Army is well-known, but it is his principles and service that are his true legacy. Pat believed in something bigger than himself, and dedicated his life to serving it. We’re dedicated to honoring that legacy.
Pat’s family and friends started the Pat Tillman Foundation to carry forward that legacy by giving military service members, veterans and spouses who embody those principles the educational tools and support they need to reach their fullest potential as leaders – no matter how they choose to serve.
“To err on the side of passion is human and right and the only way I’ll live.”


Our Values
Pat inspired us all to live our lives to fullest, and we’ve shaped this foundation around key principles that mattered to Pat the most.

service

Scholarship

Humble Leadership

Impact
The Tillman Scholar Network
Tillman Scholars are military service members, veterans and spouses with a high potential for impact as demonstrated through a proven track record of leadership, the continued pursuit of education and the commitment of their resources to service beyond self.
Tillman Scholars
Million Dollars Invested To Date
Universities and Growing

Foundation Leadership
We’re honored to help the next generation of leaders live selflessly, creating a better world. With your effort, we’ll continue to honor Pat’s legacy to inspire future generations.
Our Partners
Without loyal support, our mission would go unfulfilled. Meet our partners and sponsors who are empowering the Tillman Scholars.
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Looking to join the Pat Tillman Foundation?
Our team is passionate and purpose-driven, and as we grow our community, we’re looking to recruit individuals who want to help us achieve the mission.
News & Media Highlights
All of the latest news and press releases for the Pat Tillman Foundation.

Pat Tillman Foundation Earns a Four-Star Rating From Charity Navigator
Building trust, accountability, and transparency within our community has always been our highest priority. And now, we’re proud to share that the Pat Tillman Foundation has officially earned a Four-Star Rating from Charity Navigator—the highest rating they offer. So...

From Submariner to Physician: Will Harris Charts a New Course in Service
2024 Tillman Scholar Will Harris spent eight years serving as a submariner in the U.S. Navy, leading critical missions beneath the Pacific. Now, he’s embarking on a new journey as a primary care physician. Raised in a military family, Will graduated from the U.S....

Tillman Scholar Erin Edwards Contributes to Pulitzer-Winning Journalism Series
For more than a decade, 2023 Tillman Scholar Erin Edwards served as a Navy helicopter pilot, flying missions around the world. Now, she brings that same commitment to service to her work as an investigative journalist. After completing her military service, Erin used...

2023 Tillman Scholar Brandon Moore Builds on a Lifelong Commitment to Service
Like Pat Tillman, Brandon Moore felt a calling to serve — both in and out of uniform. The first of his family to attend college, Brandon graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and served in the U.S. Army as a pilot. After his military service...

Dr. Katherine Steele Named to Crain’s 2025 Notable Leaders in Philanthropy List
Here at the Pat Tillman Foundation, leadership and service are at the heart of everything we do. No one demonstrates those values more than Dr. Katherine Steele, our CEO and a 2014 Tillman Scholar. We're thrilled to share that Katherine was recently named to Crain’s...

2017 Tillman Scholar Kim Shaughnessy-Granger Honored for Her Work in Healthcare
On May 1, 2025, Tillman Scholar Kim Shaughnessy-Granger was honored by Villanova University, her alma mater, with the Distinguished Leadership in Nursing Practice award. The recognition is given to alumni making a significant impact in nursing, and Shaughnessy-Granger...