Scholarships

The Promise of College.

For IDEA students, college acceptance marks the beginning of a new journey—not the end. Through scholarships and philanthropic support, the IDEA Promise Foundation helps remove financial barriers so students can focus on what matters most: staying on track, earning their degrees, and building the futures they’ve worked toward.

Supporters helping fund IDEA Promise Foundation scholarships for students pursuing higher education

Scholarships for IDEA Students

IDEA Promise Foundation scholarships are available exclusively to eligible IDEA Public Schools students and alumni, providing financial support as they pursue their college degrees.
Current IDEA students and alumni can find scholarship eligibility requirements, important dates, application information, and support resources on our Scholarship Resources page linked below.
SCHOLARSHIPS APPLICATION & RESOURCES

Scholarship Impact

Scholarship Impact-01
IDEA Promise Foundation has awarded $8.6 million in scholarships.
More than 2,142 students have received IDEA Promise Foundation scholarships.

Student Impact

Kevin Grimaldo, IDEA Promise Foundation scholarship recipient, Class of 2025
“Because of the McGriff Scholarship, I was able to put my focus into my classes so that I’m not constantly worrying about the money and my tuition.”

Kevin Grimaldo

Class of 2025

Andrey Suarez, IDEA Promise Foundation scholarship recipient, Class of 2023
The scholarship changed my life. It helped me get the basics for college and made the transition smoother. Overall, it made everything easier for me and allowed me to focus on academics.

Andrey Suarez

Class of 2023

Roselyn Velez, IDEA Promise Foundation scholarship recipient, Class of 2025
Earning a scholarship from IDEA gave me a sense of relief. I thought, ‘I will be okay. I will get through college. I’m getting the help I need.’

Roselyn Velez

Class of 2025

Gesselle Sanchez, IDEA Promise Foundation scholarship recipient, Class of 2018
Give Me 5 helped close financial gaps and made it possible for me to leave the state for college. It was hard, but I always remember what my mom taught me: no one can ever take your college education away from you.

Gesselle Sanchez

Class of 2018

Supported by the Give Me 5 program, I’ve been able to pursue my dreams without the burden of financial constraints. It has provided me with invaluable resources to grow both academically and personally.

Daniela Ruiz

Class of 2017

The people I met through IDEA made a huge impact on my life. Their support— both financial and emotional—helped me overcome barriers that could have kept me from continuing my education.

Miguel Aguirre

Class of 2015

Luis Ayala, IDEA Promise Foundation scholarship recipient, Class of 2020
Being able to have the support that IDEA gave me with scholarships really helped me focus more on my studies. That support helped relieve financial stress during college.

Luis Ayala

Class of 2020

Help unlock the path to a college degree.

Your support can help remove the financial barriers that stand between college enrollment and college completion.

GIVE NOW TO SUPPORT STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS
Student scholarship award presentation at an IDEA Promise Foundation event.
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Erich Hollister serving as Treasurer of the IDEA Promise Foundation Board of Directors.

Erich Holmsten - Treasurer

Erich Holmsten brings more than 20 years of finance experience to IDEA and its operations as a large publicly and privately funded nonprofit.

Based in Fort Worth, where he also chairs the Tarrant County IDEA Regional Board, Erich is the Founder and the Managing Partner of E Capital in Fort Worth. Before his current role, he was a Vice President in Corporate Finance with Merrill Lynch in New York and an Associate with Morgan Stanley.

Erich is active in a variety of boards and organizations. He is a board member of Performing Arts Fort Worth. Previously, he was a member of the University of Texas 1883 Council and a Partner for the Next Generation Fellows at Robert S. Strauss Center at The University of Texas at Austin.

Erich and his wife, Gloria, have three daughters. He earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Texas at Austin and his M.B.A from Rice University.

Ed Rivera serving as Vice Chair and Secretary of the IDEA Promise Foundation Board of Directors.

Ed Rivera - Vice-Chair & Secretary

Ed Rivera grew up in Brownsville, Texas, and can relate to the experiences of IDEA’s students in the Valley based on his experience attending schools in Brownsville ISD.

Ed worked for more than 40 years in the petrochemical and consumer product industries. He has experience leading global business initiatives in 29 countries, including Russia, China, South Korea, and throughout Western Europe and South America. Back in his home region, Ed is an active civic leader in the Rio Grande Valley. He served as the President of the Economic Development Corporation of Laguna Vista, Texas, where he supported the growth of small businesses. He also served as a Trustee for Texas Southmost College and has served on multiple government and nonprofit boards, including the Laguna Vista Planning and Zoning Board, the Foundation Board at the University of Texas RGV, Hooked for Life, Brownsville International Airport, the Brownsville Museum of Fine Arts, and the American Marine Institute. Ed earned his undergraduate degree in chemical engineering from the University of Houston and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School.

Collin Sewell, Board Chair of the IDEA Promise Foundation Board of Directors.

Collin Sewell - Board Chair

Collin Sewell is a son, husband, father, leader, and entrepreneur. His responsibilities span from serving his family to leading a team of over 500. Collin finds his roots in two hardware store families in the late 1800s and early 1900s. On his mother’s side, the Meacham family left their hardware store in Fort Worth, Texas for the newly released Oklahoma territory. In Western Oklahoma, they laid their claim to their own homestead during the Oklahoma Land Run. On his father’s side, Edward Franklin Sewell started selling Ford Model Ts from his hardware store in 1911. As the Great Depression took its toll in 1929, E.F. loaded up his family and headed west for a new start. That new start landed them in Crane, Texas, just south of Odessa. In 1935, The Sewell family began their next chapter of the car business in Odessa, Texas. Brothers Woody and Carl Sewell purchased Sewell Ford in 1935. Four generations and over one hundred years later, Collin Sewell is now the Proprietor of The Sewell Family of Companies, which includes:
  • Sewell Ford
  • Sewell BMW of the Permian Basin
  • Sewell Cadillac of the Permian Basin
  • Sewell Buick GMC of Midland
  • Sewell Chevrolet Buick GMC of Andrews
  • Sewell Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM of Andrews
  • Press Café
  • The Parks Legado Town Center
Collin’s leadership in his family’s automotive dealerships and his people-focused efforts consistently promote living a life in service to others. Collin currently serves as a member for:
  • The Education Partnership of the Permian Basin
  • Opportunity Odessa
  • EQUIP Global Leadership
  • The John Maxwell Leadership Foundation
  • Chair of IDEA Public Schools
His past service includes:
  • Two-term President of The National Dealer Council for Ford Motor Company
  • Two-term President of The Education Foundation of Odessa
  • Member of Growing Leaders founded by Dr. Tim
  • Member of The Lincoln National Dealer Council