Don Yu Joins Scholarship America® as Chief Strategy & Product Officer

Yu continues distinguished career in education as leader of Scholarship America's innovation in solutions, services and student support

MINNEAPOLIS, July 6, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Scholarship America — a leading education nonprofit that helps students fulfill their college dreams, and the nation's top provider of private scholarships — announces the hiring of Don Yu as its Chief Strategy & Product Officer. Don will join the organization's Executive Team and lead the Product Team.

In this newly created role, Yu will be responsible for developing Scholarship America's strategy, product roadmap, expanding current initiatives and leading the design and execution of new projects, all with the goal of increasing student success and reducing systemic disparities for underserved communities of students.

Prior to joining Scholarship America, Yu served as the Chief Operating Officer for former First Lady Michelle Obama's Reach Higher initiative, and as the Vice President for Applied Policy & Advancement at Common App. There, he oversaw the development and implementation of strategic initiatives, particularly those that impacted low-income and marginalized students.

"We're beyond excited to welcome Don Yu to Scholarship America," said Mike Nylund, the organization's president and CEO. "I've been fortunate to know and work with Don for several years and few leaders have Don's diverse and distinguished career as a leader in education, government, nonprofit organizations, and the law. I have a tremendous amount of admiration and respect for Don's passion to create a more equitable society by harnessing the power of education. That passion will serve us well as we continue on our journey to transform Scholarship America to an organization that delivers equitable pathways for all students, particularly those traditionally marginalized and underserved."

Prior to joining Reach Higher, he served in a variety of positions as an appointee in the Obama Administration, including chief transformation officer at the U.S. Department of Interior's Bureau of Indian Education and special advisor to U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. In his time at the U.S. Department of Education, he played a lead role in the creation of presidential Executive Order 13592, Improving American Indian and Alaska Native Educational Opportunities and Strengthening Tribal Colleges and Universities. He also helped establish the department's Green Ribbon Schools program, which honors secondary and postsecondary institutions for achievements in sustainability, health and wellness and the reduction of environmental impact.

Yu began his role on July 5, 2022.

Contact:
Matt Hager
Director, Marketing Communications
952.853.0674
[email protected] 

SOURCE Scholarship America