Partnership for the Future (PFF) educates and inspires students of limited resources to pursue access to private sector networks and college opportunities so that they may become leaders and providers in our communities. PFF’s mission is to ensure that every motivated student with limited resources has a workplace internship in high school and can attend the most selective college of their choice.
Alan Kirshner, Chairman and CEO of Markel Corporation, created Partnership for the Future in 1994. That year, The Wall Street Journal published a Pulitzer Prize winning article highlighting the story of Cedric Jennings, an inner-city teenager in Washington, D.C. Cedric’s life dream was to attend one of our nation’s Ivy League universities. After completing a summer college prep program at that institution, Cedric was told that he would not be a good fit for the school. Despite academic success at his high school, he was turned away because his preparation and cultural tools were not sufficient enough for Ivy League success.
This article inspired Mr. Kirshner and several business, government, and education leaders in Richmond, VA, to create an opportunity for youth to gain exposure to new environments, to experience the benefits of the private enterprise system, to save for college, and to access relationships and opportunities previously closed to them. PFF continues to operate in Richmond and in 2002, began an operation in Chicago, IL.
(The Wall Street Journal article that inspired the founding of PFF was followed by the best selling book, A Hope in the Unseen, profiling Cedric's first year in college. Click here to learn more about the book and Cedric's journey since then.)
In addition to youth employment, college access and preparation are key components to PFF programming.
SAT Prep Classes: Since 2003, PFF has utilized the services of Horizons Education to provide intense SAT preparation for PFF students. Due to a generous donation from Horizons in summer 2003 and funding from the Philip Morris Employee Contribution Fund and CarMax Foundation, we have seen average increases as high as 198 points between pre- and post testing.
College Visits: PFF’s College/University Partners provide opportunities for students to visit their campuses, both in day trips, and in overnight visits, thanks to funding from CarMax Foundation and in-kind donations from the college/university partners themselves. Often, these visits include special workshops that directly address the needs of PFF students. PFF is also expanding its college visits outside of Virginia.
CollegeLink: This hands-on program for PFF’s rising seniors and their parents walks families through completion of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and one college application. The four-week series equips students with tools to successfully complete the FAFSA and college applications accurately and timely during the senior year, and provides fee waivers for college applications.
GUIDES: Gearing Up Individuals to Drive for Educational Success (GUIDES) picks up where CollegeLink leaves off. Adult community volunteers participate as mentors through this personalized experience, assisting PFF seniors with completion of college, scholarship, and financial aid applications in one-on-one and group settings.
"The staff at Partnership is certainly adept at designing innovative and fun career skills training events."
-Isabelle Kinnard, business sponsor, Council for America's First Freedom