The Fostering the Future initiative, led by First Lady Melania Trump, is set to broaden its reach with a generous $2 million contribution from IndyCar and Fox Corporation. This funding will support scholarships at Indiana University and Purdue University.
During a Rose Garden ceremony, First Lady Melania Trump highlighted the significance of investing in America’s youth: “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.”
Eric Shanks, CEO and Executive Producer of FOX Sports, stated, “At FOX, we believe in the transformative power of sports to uplift communities and create real opportunities, 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.”
This expansion brings the Fostering the Future network to 26 academic institutions across the country. It joins prestigious universities like 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 in creating new educational pathways for foster care youth.
The achievement will be celebrated during the Freedom 250 Grand Prix race weekend in Washington, DC, on August 22-23, airing on FOX and FOX One. An IndyCar race car, featuring BE BEST and Fostering the Future branding, was showcased in the White House Rose Garden during the announcement and will carry the partnership’s message throughout the race weekend.
This marketing initiative aims to increase awareness and support for America’s foster care community. Every car in the Freedom 250 Grand Prix will display a BE BEST logo, ensuring that the winner crosses the finish line in support of this crucial initiative. Sunday’s Race Day will showcase IndyCar stars on a unique course around the National Mall, with the Fostering the Future logo prominently displayed on the track.
IndyCar President J. Douglas Boles remarked, “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.”
First Lady Melania Trump declared, “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, follow below.
Fostering the Future
A Transformative, Merit-Based Initiative
Welcome to the White House.
I extend 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 dawn of an era defined by artificial intelligence, robotics, and industries that have yet to be imagined. Yet, America’s greatest competitive advantage remains in its people.
Tomorrow’s leaders are 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
Mission
Fostering 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 Universities
Twenty-six colleges and universities across the nation have established Fostering the Future programs:
University of Texas
University of North Carolina
University of Virginia
University of Florida
Vanderbilt University
The Ohio State University
University of Georgia
University of Wisconsin
University of Miami
Purdue University
University of Alabama
Villanova University
Indiana University
Arizona State University
Louisiana State University
Pepperdine University
University of South Carolina
Florida International University
Mercer University
Oral Roberts University
Middle Tennessee State University
Cleveland State University
Miami Dade College
Concordia University, Irvine
Concordia University, Nebraska
Dominican University, New York
Year Established
First 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 Accomplishments
First 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
