The Olin B. and Desta Schwab Foundation is dedicated to the simple but profound belief that no student should ever be deprived of an opportunity to recognize and realize his or her talents and potential. Based on that belief, the goal of the foundation is to identify, support, and fund not-for-profit organizations, programs, and interventions in Allen County that provide students in 6th through 12th grades with the skill sets and competencies that make them “career ready” in the 21st century.

The Schwab Foundation does not fund scholarships or provide an avenue to post-secondary education. Rather, the Foundation seeks to fund programming that provides students with counseling, guidance, testing, and experiential opportunities that enable them to fully explore their aptitudes, interests, and abilities in order to find the occupations and professions to which they are best suited.

In addition to programs that provide students with opportunities for career exploration, the Schwab Foundation is also interested in funding programs that take a proactive stance toward ensuring students will be lifelong learners with the skills most needed and valued by northeast Indiana employers, such as:

• Critical thinking and problem-solving skills
• Collaboration skills
• Agility and adaptability
• Initiative and entrepreneurism
• Effective oral and written communication
• Ability to access and analyze information
• Curiosity and imagination