Oprah Winfrey Donates $5M to NJ After-School Program Pathways to College That Supports Students of Color

Oprah Winfrey generously donates $5 million to a New Jersey-based after-school program called "Pathways to College" after being impressed by their agenda.

Pathways to College is a nationwide after-school program established by Judith Griffin in 2003 that supports students of color in school districts with limited resources. The after-school program helps to prepare them for college and shows them how to maintain their studies to become successful in life.

Winfrey has always been an advocate for education, supporting numerous institutions as they provide opportunities to students of color.

OPRAH'S CONTRIBUTION TO THE ORGANIZATION

In September 2019, Griffin was shocked to receive a call from Rebecca Sykes, then-president of Oprah Winfrey Charitable Foundation, expressing Winfrey's intent to donate $5 million to their cause.

Now, that call was actualized after Griffin shared with Pathways students and supporters that they had a special video message from a surprise guest, which turned out to be Oprah Winfrey.

CELEBRATING THE WORKS OF PATHWAYS TO COLLEGE

Aside from pledging support to the organization, Winfrey stepped it up a notch by providing $5 million in scholarship opportunities for the students, saying:

"I celebrate and honor the work Pathways to College does in securing futures for young people who want to go to college. I am proud to sponsor and support all of these young people and their dreams for a better life through education."

OPRAH'S PASSION FOR EDUCATION

Winfrey has always been an advocate for education, supporting numerous institutions as they provide opportunities to students of color. One of her biggest contributions goes to Morehouse College, where she's given $25 million in scholarships.

However, it's not just scholarships that Oprah provides, as, during a light and simple interaction she had with Zachariah Smith and Olufemi Yessoufou of Morehouse College, Winfrey actually made another wish come true.

PROVIDING EVEN THE MOST SIMPLE HELP

Two students saw Oprah's car traveling through campus and decided to chase her. At first, the two students just wanted to thank Oprah for the philanthropy work she's been doing at their college and asked her about the changes they'd like to see at the school.

While speaking to Winfrey, she called out Olufemi's cracked phone screen, saying "That's me! That's me in your cracked phone."

Just a day after posting their interaction online, someone from Oprah's team messaged him saying that the philanthropist had a phone waiting for him, and it's a gesture the student will appreciate forever.