Kinesis Foundation marks 20 years of transforming lives through education
Since its inception in 2004, the Kinesis Scholarship has awarded more than $13.7 million.
The Kinesis Foundation is celebrating its 20th anniversary, marking two decades of “transforming the lives of talented Puerto Rican students” by providing tools to overcome economic limitations and reach their highest academic potential.
Since its establishment in 2004, the Kinesis Scholarship has distributed more than $13.7 million, supporting 836 students in completing their bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees at prestigious universities in Puerto Rico and the mainland U.S.
The Bright Stars program, which prepares high school students for university, has benefited more than 1,199 young people, with 100% going on to higher education institutions.
“For these two decades, we have firmly believed that access to quality education not only transforms the life of an individual, but also that of the island,” said José A. Cruz, executive director of the Kinesis Foundation.
“We’re deeply grateful for the trust of our students and their families, as well as the support of our sponsors. We look forward to celebrating 20 more years, transforming many more lives that will contribute to the prosperity of Puerto Rico,” Cruz said.
Founded by José Enrique Fernández and his family, Kinesis is governed by a board of directors that ensures its programs remain effective and relevant. Board members include Miguel Fernández-Richards, Ariel Ferdman, Antonio Luis Ferré-Rangel, Astrid Navarro, Ángel Rivera, Jacobo Ortiz Blanes, and former Education Secretary Rafael Aragunde.
As part of the anniversary celebration, Kinesis is reaching out to former scholarship recipients to share their success stories with current students. Monthly conversations with professionals have also been launched to help guide students, and an Annual Gala, set for April 11, will raise funds to continue the foundation’s services.
The anniversary campaign aims to highlight scholars whose lives have been transformed by Kinesis support. The first meeting of students and alumni was held Sept. 28 in Boston, featuring alumni like Alondra Méndez, Fabely Moreno and Nelson Badillo.
Méndez, from Guayama, received a Kinesis scholarship and completed degrees in business administration, with a concentration in entrepreneurship, and digital media at the University of Rochester. She is now working at Nationwide.
Moreno, from Trujillo Alto, is a Bright Stars alumna and scholarship recipient who studied applied and computational mathematics and statistics, with a concentration in biological sciences, at the University of Notre Dame. She is currently a researcher at Massachusetts General Hospital.
Badillo, from Moca, also a Bright Stars participant and Notre Dame graduate, is now pursuing a doctoral degree in mechanical engineering at Harvard University. He is the first Puerto Rican to receive a NASA scholarship to develop a project. His work focuses on the creation of a space exploration robot.
“Kinesis programs transform lives by removing the economic barriers that prevent many students from accessing higher education. Once they are on the path to obtaining their college degrees, Kinesis connects them with companies that offer summer internships and possible job opportunities,” said Cruz.
“Thanks to our sponsors and allies, we have been able to generate a significant impact in the lives of students over these 20 years. However, the educational needs in Puerto Rico remain enormous, and our commitment is to continue working to change the course of many more lives,” Cruz said.
