Equitable Announces the recipients of the 2025 Equitable Excellence Scholarship®
This flagship scholarship program from Equitable Foundation will support 100 high school scholars from across the U.S.
April 24, 2025
Media Contacts:
mediarelations@equitable.com
New York – April 24, 2025 – Equitable, a leading financial services organization and principal franchise of Equitable Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: EQH), today announced the 100 recipients of its 2025 Equitable Excellence Scholarship® program, which annually recognizes motivated, under-resourced graduating high school seniors who would benefit from pursuing a college degree.
This flagship program from Equitable Foundation, Equitable’s charitable-giving arm, is uniquely structured to support the academic and professional development of each recipient, combining funding with hands-on training to increase the future success and job readiness of each student.
This year’s scholarship recipients will receive a $5,000 renewable scholarship for all four years of their undergraduate study, for a total of $20,000 in financial support. Scholarship recipients will also receive special access to workshops centered around financial wellness, mental wellness, and crucial professional leadership and development sessions tailored to support resume building and personal branding.
Each year, the scholarship program aspires to reach students in need, with nearly 60% of this year’s recipients being first-generation college students. Scholarship winners hail from 24 states, representing 63 different high schools. Since the program’s inception, Equitable has awarded $30 million in scholarships to 7,400 students. Equitable Foundation manages the delivery of the awards program in partnership with Scholarship America, a national nonprofit dedicated to administering scholarship opportunities.
"Financial support is just one piece of the puzzle to uplift students and prepare them for future success,” said Jarian Kerekes, President of Equitable Foundation. “By combining renewable scholarships with practical career training across all four years of study, the Equitable Excellence Scholarship® program is specifically designed to support our scholars as they advance from their freshman year, through graduation and beyond.”
In addition to the Equitable Excellence Scholarship® program, Equitable provides ancillary support to help additional high school students access a post-secondary education, including:
- Partnering with community-based organizations in 2024 to provide college tours to 28 different colleges and universities around the U.S.
- College-prep workshops that focus on personal online branding and emotional wellness. These workshops also emphasize essay writing, which is an increasingly important vehicle for students to share their stories with prospective colleges and universities.
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Workshops that help students complete the critical Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form needed to apply for federal student aid. Together, Equitable and its community partners offered 37 workshops that reached more than 2,350 students in 2024.
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Equitable Foundation also helped to create the first FAFSA specialist in North Carolina’s Charlotte-Mecklenburg School District. This full-time position provides essential resources to support the students and families in that community.
About Equitable
Equitable, a principal franchise of Equitable Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: EQH), has been one of America’s leading financial services providers since 1859. With the mission to help clients secure their financial well-being, Equitable provides advice, protection and retirement strategies to individuals, families and small businesses. Equitable has more than 8,000 employees and Equitable Advisors financial professionals and serves 3 million clients across the country. Please visit equitable.com for more information. Equitable Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Equitable and Equitable Advisors. Equitable Excellence® and Equitable Excellence Scholarship® are registered marks of the Equitable Foundation.