$2 Million Donation Expands First Lady Melania Trump’s Fostering the Future Initiative to Indiana University and Purdue University
First Lady Melania Trump’s Fostering the Future initiative will expand its national network through a $2 million donation from IndyCar and Fox Corporation to fund scholarships at Indiana University and Purdue University.
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First Lady Melania Trump’s Fostering the Future initiative will expand its national network through a $2 million donation from IndyCar and Fox Corporation to fund scholarships at Indiana University and Purdue University.
First Lady Melania Trump drew attention to America’s next generation during today’s Rose Garden ceremony: “America’s greatest competitive advantage remains in its own people. Tomorrow’s leaders are sitting in classrooms today, including those growing up in foster care. Their capability is no less remarkable.”
“At FOX, we believe in the transformative power of sports to lift up communities and create real opportunity, especially through expanded educational access. We are proud to partner with the Fostering the Future initiative to fund scholarships at Indiana University and Purdue University, giving extraordinary students the tools to build bright futures,” said Eric Shanks, CEO and Executive Producer, FOX Sports.
The expansion brings the First Lady’s Fostering the Future network to 26 academic institutions nationwide, joining leading universities such as the Ohio State University, University of Wisconsin, Arizona State University, University of Georgia, University of Texas, Louisiana State University, University of Alabama, and University of Florida to create new pathways to higher education for individuals from the foster care community.
Today’s accomplishment will be prominently featured during the historic Freedom 250 Grand Prix race weekend in Washington, DC, August 22-23, which will be airing on FOX and FOX One. An IndyCar race car featuring BE BEST and Fostering the Future branding was displayed in the White House Rose Garden during the announcement and will carry the partnership’s message into race weekend.
This innovative marketing initiative also aims to raise awareness and support for America’s foster care community. Every race car in the Freedom 250 Grand Prix will feature a specially designed BE BEST logo, ensuring that the winner crosses the finish line in support of this vital initiative. Sunday’s Race Day will feature the stars of IndyCar racing on a first-of-its-kind course wrapping around the National Mall with breathtaking views of several iconic landmarks and the Fostering the Future logo prominently displayed on the track on the overpass at 7th Street and Jefferson Drive.
“The First Lady is an incredible champion for students across the county, and this initiative is critical to unlocking a more promising future for so many bright young minds,” said IndyCar President J. Douglas Boles.
First Lady Melania Trump proclaimed, “Fostering the Future elevates America’s youth based on merit and talent, lifting them beyond economic circumstance and every other condition that may limit opportunity.”
The First Lady’s remarks, as prepared for delivery, are below.
Fostering the Future
A Transformative, Merit Based Initiative
Welcome to the White House.
A warm welcome to our distinguished guests today — Mr. President; my father, Mr. Knavs; Cabinet Members; Mr. Penske; Mr. Boles; Mr. Shanks; the talented drivers; our universities; and the remarkable individuals who stand in support of my Fostering the Future initiative.
The greatest investment America can make is not in technology, infrastructure, or capital markets — it’s our children.
We are at the beginning of an era defined by artificial intelligence, robotics, and industries that have yet to be imagined. But America’s greatest competitive advantage remains in its own people.
Tomorrow’s leaders are sitting in classrooms today, including those growing up in foster care. Their capability is no less remarkable.
Fostering the Future elevates America’s youth based on merit and talent, lifting them beyond economic circumstance and every other condition that may limit opportunity.
Our mission is simple yet transformational: provide every young person from the foster care community the chance to earn a college education, launch a meaningful career, and achieve lasting financial independence.
Today, Indiana University and Purdue University join Fostering the Future’s growing coast-to-coast alliance of leading academic institutions. Congratulations and thank you! Together, they expand a national network of 26 universities that prepare our foster youth to shape America’s growth.
I am very proud to share that this past spring, Fostering the Future scholarships supported the education of our first doctor. He will change the lives of so many people. Tomorrow, thanks to visionary partners such as IndyCar and FOX, Fostering the Future graduates will build new companies, launch new industries, and redefine what is possible for all Americans.
Fostering the Future is more than an educational initiative; it is a generational investment in America’s talent pipeline. Every student who graduates strengthens our workforce, accelerates innovation, expands economic opportunity, and reduces long-term dependence on government assistance. The return on this investment is measured not only in lives changed for the better, but in stronger communities, a more competitive nation, and a future powered by American ingenuity.
Education is the one asset that can never be taken away. It is the foundation upon which confidence is built, opportunity is created, and the future is invented.
And finally, look at this race car — gorgeous and powerful. I am sure we cannot wait to see it start its engine.
Good luck to all of the drivers and teams at Sunday’s race.
It is my pleasure to introduce a true champion, the Chairman of Penske Entertainment and owner of IndyCar, Mr. Roger Penske.
ABOUT FIRST LADY MELANIA TRUMP’S FOSTERING THE FUTURE
MissionFostering the Future’s mission is to empower individuals from foster care to pursue a university education, launch careers, and achieve lasting financial independence.
A National Network of Colleges and UniversitiesTwenty-six colleges and universities across the nation have established Fostering the Future programs:
University of TexasUniversity of North CarolinaUniversity of VirginiaUniversity of FloridaVanderbilt UniversityThe Ohio State UniversityUniversity of GeorgiaUniversity of WisconsinUniversity of MiamiPurdue UniversityUniversity of AlabamaVillanova UniversityIndiana UniversityArizona State UniversityLouisiana State UniversityPepperdine UniversityUniversity of South CarolinaFlorida International UniversityMercer UniversityOral Roberts UniversityMiddle Tennessee State UniversityCleveland State UniversityMiami Dade CollegeConcordia University, IrvineConcordia University, NebraskaDominican University, New York
Year EstablishedFirst Lady Melania Trump established her Fostering the Future initiative in 2021.
How to Support:For more information on how to be matched with a participating school, visit: www.MelaniaTrump.com/Pages/Fostering-the-Future.
Additional Fostering the Future AccomplishmentsFirst Lady Melania Trump’s Fostering the Future, a BE BEST initiative, has expanded opportunities for young people in foster care by advancing access to higher education, financial independence, stable housing, and other critical resources that support a successful transition to adulthood.
Mrs. Trump is building a comprehensive pathway to long-term independence for America’s foster youth through scholarships, landmark legislation, an executive order, housing assistance, and the nation’s first savings and investment accounts.
Recent achievements include securing $30 million in President Trump’s FY2026 budget for HUD’s Melania Trump Foster Youth to Independence housing program and the historic June 2026 launch of Fostering the Future Accounts, providing foster youth with a new foundation for saving, investing, and building financial security.
First Lady Melania Trump also championed the Fostering the Future Executive Order and the Fostering the Future Act, further strengthening federal support for the foster care ecosystem.
IndyCar Photographs: Andrea Hanks, Official White House Photographer