Sachs Foundation
The Sachs Foundation is dedicated to sharing the stories of Black Coloradans year-round. This Black History Month, our Chief Operations Officer, Pamela, sat down with our partners at MENTOR Colorado to share insights on creating equitable and inclusive programming.
The Sachs Foundation is a MENTOR Colorado Partner. We collaborate to make Colorado a place where everyone has the supportive relationships they need to grow, connect, and thrive.
Meet the Carollo Family
Colorado natives Bert and Mary Carollo made a transformational gift to the Sachs Foundation by establishing The Bert and Mary Carollo LEGPWR Endowed Scholarship in October of 2023. Their legacy gift is an incredible testament to the Carollo Family’s passion and dedication to ensuring a future of educational access and opportunity for Black scholars.
Living in Colorado for nearly their entire lives, Bert and Mary met at the University of Colorado Boulder and have dedicated their lives to helping others as healthcare providers (Bert is a diagnostic radiologist and educator and Mary, a physician’s assistant). Mary shares, “We’ve always enjoyed teaching and seeing students learn. We have no children, so our legacy is to help other people’s children have the opportunity to get an education.”
“We want to give students the opportunity to learn and have a successful career. We hope to help families that may be struggling to send their children to college.” – Bert Carollo
Bert and Mary were drawn to the Sachs Foundation because of our work to directly and holistically support and mentor Black scholars throughout their educational careers. For Bert, “It’s not just giving money – it’s about making sure Sachs Scholars progress, benefit from hands-on mentorship, and are given opportunities to succeed.”
The Carollo Family gift will support Sachs Scholars working to achieve a career in healthcare, STEM fields, or education. Interested applicants for the LEGPWR Scholarship can apply through our general application beginning January 1st, 2024.
Bert and Mary have committed a legacy gift in their estate plans to grant exceptional Sachs Foundation applicants with educational grants that support students to excel in a career in healthcare, STEM fields, or education.
The Sachs Foundation expresses profound disappointment in the recent Supreme Court decision to discontinue the use of race as a consideration in college admissions. This ruling disregards the longstanding marginalization of Black students within higher education. By eliminating the ability of universities to consider race as a tool for achieving a diverse and representative student body, this decision perpetuates the existing disparities in access for Black students.
Throughout history, Black students have faced significant obstacles and systemic inequalities in their pursuit of higher education. College admissions policies that take race into account have played a crucial role in addressing these disparities and working towards a more equitable and inclusive educational landscape. By acknowledging the unique challenges and experiences of Black students, universities have been able to provide opportunities for those who have historically been underrepresented in higher education.
The decision to remove race as a factor in college admissions fails to acknowledge the persistent barriers to access that Black students continue to confront. It undermines the importance of fostering a diverse student body, which enhances the educational experience for all students and prepares them for an increasingly interconnected society. Without the ability to consider race, universities will struggle to create a comprehensive representation of diverse perspectives, talents, and backgrounds, perpetuating the disparities in educational opportunities for Black students.
The Sachs Foundation firmly believes that equal access to quality education is a fundamental right, and that institutions of higher learning have a responsibility to address historical inequities and ensure fair opportunities for all. The Supreme Court’s decision to eliminate the consideration of race undermines these principles and widens the gap in educational attainment between different racial groups.
We urge policymakers, educators, and advocates to collaborate and explore alternative solutions that promote equal access to higher education for all students, particularly those who have faced historical marginalization. It is crucial that we continue to strive for a system that recognizes and values the diverse contributions that Black students bring to our academic institutions, and actively works to dismantle the barriers that hinder their progress.
The Sachs Foundation remains unwavering in its commitment to supporting and empowering Black scholars, recognizing their immense potential and the invaluable contributions they make to our society. We will continue to tirelessly pursue pathways to success and advocate for policies that foster equality, justice, and opportunity in higher education.
The Colorado-based Foundation Celebrates Black Student Achievements Over the Past Year; The Need to Help Black Americans Dismantle Systemic Barriers to Educational Equity Remains Acute
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., June 13, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — The Sachs Foundation, an organization that has supported Black Coloradans since 1931, today announced it has awarded more than $1.5 million in scholarships to high-achieving Black students over the past year. Scholars were recognized in the foundation’s Scholar Awards and Celebration event this past weekend, with many set to pursue undergraduate and graduate degrees from Colorado, out-of-state and top-tier educational institutions nationwide.
The new class of Sachs scholars’ academic achievements are cause for celebration at a time when racial equity programs are being rolled back nationwide despite research consistently highlighting the unique barriers that Black students face when pursuing higher-educational opportunities. A recent joint study by the Lumina Foundation and Gallup found Black student enrollment and college completion have declined precipitously over the past decade, with high costs and discrimination largely accounting for the persistent college opportunity gap.
Decades ago, the Sachs Foundation was created to help close the opportunity gap for Black Coloradans, and the organization’s mission remains just as vital today as it was over 90 years ago. This year’s 46 scholarship recipients will study at renowned institutions like Stanford University, Yale University, Cornell University, the University of Chicago and Johns Hopkins University as well as at prestigious historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) like Howard University and Spelman College. Many 2023 scholarship recipients plan to stay closer to home, pursuing degrees at colleges and universities across Colorado.
“Our Sachs Foundation scholars are incredibly accomplished, not only academically, but in the positive contributions they make to their communities,” said Ben Ralston, President of the Sachs Foundation. “We’re proud to support these outstanding Coloradans in their studies, and to advocate for Black students across the country, who due to lingering systemic inequity, have the lowest six-year college completion rate of any racial or ethnic group, and still trail white counterparts in degree attainment by 12 percent.”
The Sachs Foundation goes beyond supporting scholars during their undergraduate careers. This year’s awards include over $300k for scholars to pursue graduate degrees in areas of study such as law, medicine, policy and business administration, thrusting them into leadership roles in prestigious careers – places where Black professionals are historically marginalized and underrepresented.
“On average, Black college graduates leave campus with $25k more in student debt and earn on average 15 percent less than their white peers,” Ralston said. “We’ve seen this gap persist across generations, with the problem not just limited to Colorado students. We need more organizations and resources across the country who are committed to educational equity.”
Since Pikes Peak resident Henry Sachs created the foundation in 1931, the organization has given more than $45 million to support educational and community programs that benefit Black Coloradans, including over 3,200 scholarships. Sachs was inspired to launch the foundation by his friendship with the Stroud family, whose personal experience with racial discrimination gave Sachs insight into the challenges Black Americans face. Colorado Springs High School student, Dolphus Stroud, received the first Sachs Foundation scholarship.
Black Colorado residents can submit applications for a Sachs Foundation scholarship each year from January 1 to March 15, and the foundation encourages eligible students and their families to apply at www.sachsfoundation.org/#scholarships. Scholarships are awarded based on academic merit, financial need and character. Learn more about ways to support the foundation’s work through donations or partnerships at www.sachsfoundation.org/donate.
About the Sachs Foundation
Founded by Pikes Peak resident Henry Sachs in 1931, the Sachs Foundation provides programming designed to help Black Coloradans overcome systemic inequity and reach their full potential. Over the decades, the Foundation has helped thousands of talented Black students pursue undergraduate and graduate degrees at universities throughout the United States, supported Black youth through mentoring programs and developed recruitment and retention programs to place more Black educators in Colorado classrooms. Learn more about the Sachs Foundation, student success stories and how to apply for scholarship grants at www.sachsfoundation.org.
CONTACT: sachs@nextpr.com
SOURCE Sachs Foundation
“I want to be Valedictorian.” A powerful freshman set out to achieve this dream early in her high school career. While talking with her counselor, Angie Sumo manifested what she would accomplish four years later. Her counselor, an Elevated mentor, knew exactly what Angie needed to do to accomplish all her educational goals. Like many other young Black students, Angie found her way to Elevated where she was placed in one of our nine cohorts. It is then that the programming of our amazing staff and Elevated mentors shines.
The Elevated program is built to empower Black youth and their families by providing mentorships, equitable opportunities, and collegiate access to succeed in higher education and beyond. Open to 8th-12th grade students, our Elevated mentors stay with the same kids for several years. This allows them to build a robust relationship of trust, support, and guidance that is critical to their growth in education. Our programming is vital to accomplishing our mission. We seek to empower youth to explore post-secondary options through a holistic approach with other equitable support options as needed. Currently, Elevated serves 144 students in Colorado Springs.
Elevated students attend monthly events that fall into one of three focus areas: academics, emotional well-being, and leadership. These events have included rope courses, hockey games, splatter rooms, college visits, volunteer opportunities, and roller derbies this year, but they are always changing. Beyond events, Elevated students are also given help in preparing to apply for colleges and scholarships through a partnership with Peak Education and their Director of College Counseling, Jasmine Rainey. Services include college counseling, college counseling events like college fairs, resume building, and FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) help. Each year, students are given tasks to complete to ensure their readiness for college and keep them on track.
On completion of the Elevated program, students are given a grant based on their time spent with Elevated. Students who complete four years are awarded $5,000. On top of our grant, Elevated students are exceptional at receiving scholarships they apply for. This year’s senior class raised over $1.9 million in scholarships!
While we hear delightful stories from our Elevated students about their adventures, nothing makes us prouder than seeing these kids succeed and accomplish all their dreams. Elevated students are leaders, scholars, athletes, actors, student body presidents, volunteers, and so much more. They graduate from local state and community colleges before high school, become Valedictorians and Salutatorians, and win championships. We know the Elevated program will continue to see exceptional and determined students like Miss Sumo as it grows and expands!
March 15th of each year marks the end of scholarship application season for the Sachs Foundation. After they close, we begin the process of putting together a diverse selection committee including top educational leaders in Colorado. This year’s committee consisted of individuals from the University of Northern Colorado, Colorado State University, University of Denver, Colorado College, Colorado Mesa University, and The Denver Scholarship Foundation along with a few of our alumni and partners. It was an incredibly knowledgeable and diverse review committee with more than 50% of our reviewers identifying as people of color.
Committee members are invited to Colorado Springs in April for two days of application reading and deliberations. For each applicant, they consider academic performance, financial need and personal character just as the Sachs Foundation has done for the 91 classes of scholars who have come before them.
The first day of application reading is an exciting one. Our review committee members are passionate about educational equity and furthering exceptional Black students’ educational career. Once everyone arrives early on the first day or reading, we dive into what to look for in applications. Beyond common categories like grades, class difficulty, and extracurricular activities, we also look at the individual student situations. Our applicants prove how resilient they are with stories of how they stood up to bullying, made their schools more inclusive, moved from war-stricken areas, and challenged everything they knew to succeed. Our reviewers enjoy getting to know the individuals different, so the personal essays scholars fill out are vital. Two essays, one allowing students to describe their personal experiences and one asking about student led DEI discussions at school, were featured this year and eloquently answered by so many. Narrowing down the scholarships to finalists requires looking at GPA, classes, jobs worked, hours volunteered, essays, and letters of recommendation.
Day two of the review process is for committee deliberations. Our volunteer experts divide into groups to discuss each candidate they have read about. With such an incredibly talented applicant pool, these deliberations can be quite lively and energetic. Committee members spend the day coming to a consensus on the candidates they will recommend to the Sachs Foundation Board of Directors as members of the Sachs Scholars Class of 2023. Day two is also the day when finalists are chosen for our named scholarships. These scholarships were created to honor significant figures in the history of the Sachs Foundation as well as significant funding partners. The 2023 Sachs Foundation named scholarships are:
The Effie Stroud Scholarship – awarded to the overall top applicant each year
The Gertrude Lee Scholarship – awarded to the student that best exemplifies selflessness and service to their community
The Dolphus Stroud Scholarship – awarded to the scholar that showcases the spirit of academics, athletics and, most importantly, perseverance.
The Morris A. Esmiol Scholarship – awarded to the student who has the most outstanding personal statement
The Morris A Esmiol Jr. Scholarship – awarded to the applicant who has pursued STEM as a passion and want to continue studying STEM related topics in college
These named scholarships include a larger grant amount in recognition of these students’ accomplishments.
Once all these important decisions are made, all recommendations are provided to the Sachs Foundation staff and then to the Board of Directors. Selected scholars are notified of their awards by the end of June and will be invited to our scholar retreat in June to welcome and celebrate our Sachs Scholar Class of 2023!
2023 was the most competitive pool of applicants we have ever had at the Sachs Foundation and we are grateful to all of the incredible young people who applied. We are so excited to meet this year’s scholars soon!
A little over 92 years ago, the Sachs Foundation was established with the goal of providing educational opportunities for Black youth in Colorado. However, the more detailed version of our history paints an intriguing path that led to where we are today.
Originally from New York, Henry Sachs, a talented stockbroker with only a grade-school education, moved to Boston where he started the Boston Curb Market. His first stock-trading venture was a huge success and led him to connect with two men named Gillette and Nickerson. With Henry’s backing and investment knowledge, those men went on to form the Gillette Safety Razor Company which, in return, provided the basis of his fortune.
Unfortunately, like many others in the early 1900s, Henry eventually contracted tuberculosis. Since little was known about the deadly disease, the recommendation for recovery at the time was to be exposed to drier air, higher elevation, and a sunnier environment – all which Colorado offered year-round. Thanks to his prior investment in Gillette, Henry had the funds to relocate to Colorado Springs, which he did in 1903.
During his recovery, Henry noticed the mistreatment of the Black hospital staff who would contract tuberculosis caring for patients. With many becoming sick and no treatment available (due to segregated hospitals), the mortality rate of tuberculosis was even higher amongst the Black community. Once he recovered and resumed his talents as a stockbroker and real estate investor, tuberculosis recovery for Black individuals was a driving factor in the beginning stages of the Sachs Foundation.
With the change of residence and his health back, Henry focused his business on real estate development and collaborated with a new business partner, Morris Esmiol. Together they established the Three Eagles company. Thanks to his smart investments, vast knowledge of stockbroking and real estate development, and connections that helped him along the way, Sachs’ wealth grew. With no children of his own, he decided to use his fortune to support the Black Coloradans.
No stranger to discrimination Henry Sachs, who was Jewish, invested in the Black community in multiple ways. Sachs became good friends with the Stroud family of Colorado Springs and encouraged their exceptional children’s education. The fourth child of the Stroud family, Effie, was a top student at Colorado Springs High School (now Palmer High School) and had a mind that excelled within the field of chemistry. However, because she was Black, she found few educational opportunities available to her. Henry, wanting to see her succeed, offered to pay for her college education if she kept her grades up and studied hard. This led to Effie being the only Black woman to be enrolled in college at the time, and Sachs continued to support her studies at Colorado College.
The foundation was first thought of at a weekend picnic in 1927. KD Stroud, Effie’s father, mentioned the idea of an educational foundation to Henry. While Effie finished her schooling at Colorado College, KD suggested establishing a foundation that would inherit his estate and continue the mission of supporting and helping Black Coloradans facing economic and educational discrimination. Agreeing with KD, the Sachs Foundation was established on January 8th, 1931, and Dolphus Stroud, Effie’s brother, was named the first Sachs Scholar.
The mission of the Sachs Foundation since the beginning was to address the racial inequity that existed in the United States and particularly in Colorado. One of the ways Henry planned to achieve this mission was by building the National Lincoln Sanitorium. Ran by Black physicians, nurses, and technicians, this hospital would ensure that Black patients received safe treatment for tuberculosis at no cost. With the location approved (owned by the Three Eagles Company and “near 8th street and Brookside in Ivywild”) and Brookside Water Company’s attorney ensuring that they would supply water for the sanitorium, the idea looked like it would come to fruition. Instead, a year later, the idea was abandoned after an agreement was made for Black patients to be treated at the existing Beth El hospital with the Sachs Foundation investing into that program. The organization also began to focus on education more as the needs of the community shifted.
Henry went on to continue supporting Black Coloradans by increasing the number of scholarships given, increasing funding, and developing real estate to ensure his foundation would continue to make an impact long after he passed. On April 13th, 1952, Henry Sachs passed away leaving approximately $1.25 million dollars to his foundation. The foundation continued operating with his business partner, Morris Esmiol, leading their mission.
After Henry’s death, the Sachs Foundation continued to celebrate Black excellence by funding the first Black medical students at the University of Colorado, giving grants to fund emergency tuberculosis research in Black individuals when it was needed in the 1980s, increasing the number of students awarded scholarships, introducing and rotating programs to best address current issues faced by Black Coloradans, but most importantly, honoring Sachs’ vision of erasing racial inequity.
Since 1931, the Sachs Foundation has awarded 3,245 scholarships and given over $40,876,610 to support exceptional Black students. We constantly evaluate how we can make the biggest impact on improving the lives of Black Coloradans. Currently, we carry out Henry Sachs’ vision through three programs addressing educational inequities, quick adaptations to best suit the biggest needs of our community, supporting community events and other organizations who are working to address inequities the Black community faces, and funding educational opportunities beyond the classroom.
As Henry Sachs said, “I don’t think there’s any better way to spend money than by investing in people. If you want them to be successful, to contribute in some way to society, education is the key.” To this day, the Sachs Foundation fully believes there is no better way to spend money than by investing in the Black community of Colorado through education. Our scholars consistently prove this by going on to become individuals who win a Pulitzer prize, are named federal judges, teach at the Mayo Clinic, run the biggest Black-owned bookstore in America, pay off the student loans for an entire graduating class at HBCU’s, create change, invest in their communities, attend graduate schools, stand up for themselves, build their wealth, pursue art, dance, singing, and writing, have the freedom to choose what they want to become, and most importantly, grow into adults who understand the importance and value of their talents.
After the hustle and bustle of Thanksgiving is done, it’s important to remember what we are most thankful for. At Sachs, we are grateful for the opportunity to give back to our community, our staff who work relentlessly to expand educational opportunities for Black Coloradans, and the people we meet along the way like our Sachs intern, Trinity Lawler. An exceptional addition to our team, Trinity is a high school senior that excels at our office and in our Elevated program.
Senior year is always a busy time, but for Trinity, she crams her schedule full of extra-curriculars. Adding to being a Sachs intern and Elevated student, she also makes time to be involved in Peak Education, Student Council, Minds Matter, Girl Scouts, National Honor Society, and Senior Student Government. When asked about her experience with Elevated, she said, “Elevated is the best thing I have ever been a part of. Between the college trips and group outings, I have learned so much about myself and my peers. It has also taught me that I always have people who have my back.” Expanding on her time in the program, she recalled, “My favorite memory during my time in Elevated would have to be when our bus broke down on a college trip to New Mexico for six hours! That was definitely bonding time for us.”
Although Trinity is incredibly involved at her school and in her community, she still finds time for activities she enjoys. “School takes up a lot of my time, but I do enjoy gardening, plant shopping, and planning events for my high school! Perhaps the hobby that takes up the most of my time would be taking care of my baby brother.”
With such a driven personality, one might wonder who inspires Trinity and keeps her focused. “My role model is my cousin Isabel. She is one of the best people I have in my life. For as long as I can remember, I have always wanted to be just like her, and I still do. Isabel is the most beautiful soul, and I can’t imagine what my life would be like without her.”
With Trinity working as an intern and being involved in Elevated, it’s easy to imagine how often she ends up spending time with our staff. When asked why she wanted to be an intern, Trinity responded, “I am the type of person to want to know the ins and outs on how things work, and being an intern for the Sachs Foundation allows me that privilege of how Elevated works.” Luckily, she doesn’t mind hanging out with our staff. “My favorite part of this internship has been the environment of the office itself and the people apart of it. Whenever I have a stressful day at school, the Sachs office makes me feel so much better and at ease.” (And we’re lucky because she does the same for us!) During her few months at Sachs, Trinity made some interesting discoveries through her internship. “The most interesting things I have learned is that, one, there are A LOT of past Sachs Foundation scholars, and two, envelopes might need more stamps if they are above a certain weight. I had no idea!”
While the foundation enjoys having Trinity around, we’re excited to see her excel as she starts her college journey after graduation in 2023. Post-graduation, Trinity plans to attend Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, Texas, to become a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner. Her dream job is to be a psychiatrist; however, she believes being a Psychiatric NP is more up her alley. When asked what she is most excited about after high school, Trinity gave such a heartwarming answer. “I am looking forward to building myself up and making the best life possible for my little brother and I.” That answer sums up who Trinity is; a phenomenal Elevated senior and intern who exemplifies selflessness and drive. We are so thankful to have her on our team!
By O’Dell Isaac, odell.isaac@gazette.com
Many students of color in Colorado Springs and El Paso County are missing out on the chance to further…