Thinking beyond our circumstances makes us
revolutionary!
Thinking beyond our circumstances makes us
revolutionary!
It all started with a
revolutionary woman.
It all started with a
revolutionary woman.
It all started with a
revolutionary woman.
Mission
The Ellington Foundation’s mission is to provide academic, personal, and financial support to first-generation students of color majoring in the arts.
Vision
The Ellington Foundation visualizes supporting thousands of first-generation students of color through scholarships, academic leadership, career readiness, and personal development efforts.
Mission
The Ellington Foundation’s mission is to provide academic, personal, and financial support to first-generation students of color majoring in the arts.
Vision
The Ellington Foundation visualizes supporting thousands of first-generation students of color through scholarships, academic leadership, career readiness, and personal development efforts.
Our impact!
2020
Dr. Ellington personally donated one scholarship to Trinity Johnson for the spring of 2021.
2021
We raised $2,200 which granted two scholarships for the spring of 2022 to the following fashion students:
Carlie Beard was awarded the Ellington Foundation Graduate Scholarship for Fashion Studies at Kent University.
Passion Watson was awarded the Ellington Foundation School of Fashion Design Scholarship at Kent University.
Our scholarships!
A
B
The Ellington Foundation’s mission is to provide academic, personal, and financial support to first-generation students of color majoring in the arts.
C
The Ellington Foundation’s mission is to provide academic, personal, and financial support to first-generation students of color majoring in the arts.
November is our
fund-raising month!
The objective for this year is to raise $1000 toward the endowment of the Ellington Foundation Fashion Design Scholarship.
100% of your donation goes toward assisting students.
How is the money being used?
The funds will go to help donate books to students and a scholarship.
of the money will provide a copy of “Be the GOAT Career Readiness Manual for First Generation Students and Young Professionals.”
Meet our team!
Founder and President
Dr. Tameka Ellington is a first-generation high school and college graduate who grew up in the inner city of Cleveland. She is a TRIO Upward Bound alum and a true advocate for first-generation students’ personal, professional, and spiritual growth. She has been educating and mentoring first-generation students since 2008.
Dr. Tameka started her “First Generation Revolutionaries” business in 2019, where she serves students, teachers, and staff through keynote presentations, professional development training, and authoring books. She started “The Ellington Foundation” as a way to continue the support of future first-generation revolutionaries.
She has received many awards for her work, including the 2022 Educational Opportunities Association (EOA) Achiever Award, the 2021 Kent State University trailblazer award, and the 2019 first-generation advocate award from Kent state university student support services.
Vice-president
He is a speaker, author, and educator. Finkley is a native of Mullins, SC. Growing up from humble beginnings, Finkley has served in various roles in higher education including college admissions/enrollment management, career services, student affairs, student orientation, diversity and inclusion, teaching (adjunct instructor), and many other capabilities. Full bio available following this link: https://www.thefinkleyexperience.com/about/finkley
Secretary
She is the Assistant Director at the KSU Student Multicultural Center. She assists with staff supervision, oversees the SMC training and education initiative, leads the intentional engagement of our students from their sophomore year through graduation, and leads our marketing and assessment efforts. She is an Upward Bound Alum and a former student of mine. Know more about her here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iliannavelez/
Treasurer
We have been friends since we were 18 years old. We met as freshmen at Kent State University. He is the lead Pastor at SPAN Ministries and has been a servant leader for the Lord for more than two decades. Please see the website https://www.spanministries.org/ for more information.
Founder and President
Dr. Tameka Ellington is a first-generation high school and college graduate who grew up in the inner city of Cleveland. She is a TRIO Upward Bound alum and a true advocate for first-generation students’ personal, professional, and spiritual growth. She has been educating and mentoring first-generation students since 2008.
Dr. Tameka started her “First Generation Revolutionaries” business in 2019, where she serves students, teachers, and staff through keynote presentations, professional development training, and authoring books. She started “The Ellington Foundation” as a way to continue the support of future first-generation revolutionaries.
She has received many awards for her work, including the 2022 Educational Opportunities Association (EOA) Achiever Award, the 2021 Kent State University trailblazer award, and the 2019 first-generation advocate award from Kent state university student support services.
Vice-president
He is a speaker, author, and educator. Finkley is a native of Mullins, SC. Growing up from humble beginnings, Finkley has served in various roles in higher education including college admissions/enrollment management, career services, student affairs, student orientation, diversity and inclusion, teaching (adjunct instructor), and many other capabilities. Full bio available following this link: https://www.thefinkleyexperience.com/about/finkley
Secretary
She is the Assistant Director at the KSU Student Multicultural Center. She assists with staff supervision, oversees the SMC training and education initiative, leads the intentional engagement of our students from their sophomore year through graduation, and leads our marketing and assessment efforts. She is an Upward Bound Alum and a former student of mine. Know more about her here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iliannavelez/
Treasurer
We have been friends since we were 18 years old. We met as freshmen at Kent State University. He is the lead Pastor at SPAN Ministries and has been a servant leader for the Lord for more than two decades. Please see the website https://www.spanministries.org/ for more information.
It is fund-raising November!
Do you want to help students fulfill their dreams?
Available now
Be the GOAT: Career Readiness Manual for First Generation Students and Young Professionals
