FROM THE FOUNDER...

The William L. Clay Scholarship and Research Fund was founded in 1985 to address a profound problem for scores of talented high school students lacking the financial resources to pursue a college education and reach their goals. A quarter century later, we’re proud of the progress we’ve made with 200 young scholars, and we remain determined to build on that success.

Your contribution is more than a gift for our Scholars - it's an investment in the future. Clay Scholars have attended more than 50 of the nation's top colleges and Universities, earning degrees in a wide variety of disciplines. Alumni of the program have excelled in a myriad of career fields including corporate management, medicine, law, education, politics and many others. What's more, about two-thirds of our Scholars are located in the Greater St. Louis Area, creating a direct impact in our community.

We know that the challenge is very real. The cost of educating our Scholars over the years has exceeded $5.6 million, but we remain dedicated to providing deserving students with full or partial grants to cover their college costs. With the rising cost of higher education, your donations are more important than ever in helping us to continue this important work.

I implore you to join in our important work as we enter our 25th year of helping students reach their dreams. We maintain a low operating cost so that the maximum amount of donations are applied directly to funding education. The Fund is a tax-exempt 501(c)3 organization, and no contribution is too small or too large.

It is extremely gratifying to look back as we celebrate 25 years of success with the Fund founded because of my deep concern for the plight of worthy young people whose academic potential might have been denied without the financial assistance offered. The achievement of our students has been a source of great pride to me. They have given me the inspiration to continue this legacy.

--Congressman William “Bill” L. Clay, Sr. (Retired) Founder