Panda Cares Great Futures Scholars receive $25,000 each as they prepare to pursue higher education across the country
ATLANTA — Fifteen young people are heading toward college this fall with a little more financial freedom — and a powerful vote of confidence in what they can accomplish.
Panda Cares and Boys & Girls Clubs of America have awarded $375,000 in Great Futures Scholarships to 15 outstanding Club teens, providing each student with $25,000 toward attendance at colleges and universities across the country.
The scholarships are part of a broader effort to remove financial barriers to higher education and help young people turn academic ambition into opportunity.
“The Panda Cares Great Futures scholarship will allow me to be the first in my family to earn a bachelor’s degree,” said Jei’Alani R., a 2026 Panda Cares Great Futures Scholar.
Investing in the next generation
This year’s Great Futures Scholars plan to study fields including public health sciences, multimedia, biology, psychology, kinesiology and human services.
The recipients represent Boys & Girls Clubs and affiliated programs in communities stretching from Los Angeles and Milwaukee to Atlanta, Boston, Oklahoma, Texas and Florida.
Six Southern California scholars were surprised with an in-person celebration at Panda Restaurant Group headquarters, where their families joined Panda Cares and Boys & Girls Club leaders in recognizing their accomplishments. Two other recipients were honored during Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s National Keystone Conference.
For some of the scholars, however, receiving help also reinforces a desire to help someone else.
“As a future leader, I am committed to giving back to my community by mentoring younger youth and helping them to access the same opportunities that shaped me,” said Isabelle J., a 2026 Panda Cares Great Futures Scholar. “Receiving this scholarship will assist me in reaching my educational goals and allow me to build the skills I need to advocate for others through my work.”
That spirit of opportunity being passed from one person to another is already visible among previous scholarship recipients.
Former Panda Cares scholars Holden, Enrique, Rima and Ximena have been recognized as regional Youth of the Year honorees for their leadership and academic commitment. Ximena later became Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s National Youth of the Year, the organization’s highest honor.
More than $1 million in 2026 support
The 15 new $25,000 awards are part of $1.34 million in scholarship support awarded to Boys & Girls Clubs youth in 2026.
That total also includes 299 additional scholarships ranging from $2,500 to $5,000.
Since launching the scholarship program in 2022, Panda Cares has invested in the higher-education goals of 755 Boys & Girls Clubs of America youth.
The investment builds on the work occurring every day inside Boys & Girls Clubs nationwide, where young people can receive homework assistance, participate in STEM learning and prepare for college and careers.
According to Boys & Girls Clubs of America, four in five Club youth report earning mostly A’s and B’s, while 97% believe they will graduate from high school.
“These scholarships help remove barriers to pursuing higher education and open doors for young people,” said Jim Clark, president and CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of America. “We value Panda Cares’ continued partnership and significant investment in our youth. Every day, Clubs help kids and teens see what’s possible for their futures, and partnerships like this help make those possibilities a reality.”
Panda Cares is the philanthropic arm of Panda Express. According to the organization, it has raised more than $455 million and supported the health and education of more than 16 million young people since 1999, in addition to contributing volunteer hours and supporting communities in need.
Boys & Girls Clubs of America says more than 5,500 Clubs serve over 4 million young people through membership and community outreach.
Opportunity that can travel forward
The impact of a scholarship cannot always be measured solely by the amount written on the check.
For a student, it can mean less financial pressure, greater freedom to concentrate on an education and the knowledge that people and organizations outside their immediate family believe their future is worth investing in.
For Tiedrell A., one of this year’s Great Futures Scholars, that possibility comes with a message for other young people.
“A Great Future to me means creating opportunities for others just as my Boys & Girls Club created opportunities for me,” Tiedrell said. “My advice to younger people is simple. Never let your circumstances define your future.”
It is an idea at the heart of what these scholarships can accomplish: Someone receives an opportunity, makes the most of it and then reaches back to create an opportunity for someone else.
“Education can change the direction of one life, but generosity can multiply that change across generations,” said Bruce Petillo of Heartitude. “When we invest in a young person’s potential, we’re not simply helping that student get to college. We’re telling them that their dreams matter — and giving them the chance to someday open a door for someone behind them.”
Fifteen students will soon walk onto campuses carrying different ambitions, studying different subjects and beginning different journeys.
What connects them is an opportunity made possible when organizations, communities and people decide that helping a young person move forward is an investment worth making.
Source: Boys & Girls Clubs of America and Panda Cares, “Panda Cares Scholars Program Awards 15 Boys & Girls Clubs Teens with $25,000 Great Futures Scholarships,” distributed by Business Wire, July 28, 2026.