Support for One, Flourishing for Many

Steve and Carole Jenkins first learned about the Program for Leadership and Character at Wake Forest University not long after their son arrived on campus. The Program was new, and it caught the attention of the Jenkins family, who knew that they wanted to make a bigger impact in the lives of students in a way that reflected their values.

Their first gift of $1.5 million in 2018 created the first full scholarship for the inaugural class of Leadership and Character Scholars, a group of exceptional students who are committed to developing their leadership and character during their four years at Wake Forest. Their endowment, which inspired others to give and supports one Jenkins Scholar every four years in perpetuity, allows that student to explore a deeper life and to seek outcomes that enable them to flourish. “If we are able to plant these seeds early — for character, civility, humility, a duty for service to others — we will more fully prepare our future leaders for a challenging world,” Steve Jenkins said at the outset.

Why It Matters

The gift was an early spark that helped the Program for Leadership and Character grow into a vital piece of Wake Forest’s identity, one that reaches students all across the university. Over the last decade, the Program has sparked and enabled a nationwide movement to educate character with colleges and universities across the U.S.

In July 2025, the Jenkins Family Foundation gave an additional $2.5 million to Wake Forest. Their Summer of Character Endowed Fund will make it possible for dozens of current and future Leadership & Character Scholars to pursue service, internships, and research related to leadership and character each year. And their Leadership and Character in Global Context Fund supports an annual Scholars’ trip to London and Oxford to explore how leadership and character are understood, practiced, and enacted abroad. These and earlier gifts enable students with financial need to deepen their leadership and character with experiences that would not otherwise be accessible to them. Moreover, this funding has demonstrated to others that a financial commitment to even a small group can create a movement that impacts lives across an entire institution. “The Jenkins’ pioneering generosity has transformed the lives of our extraordinary Scholars, even after they've graduated from Wake Forest,” says Michael Lamb, the Program’s senior executive director. “And their deep commitment to the Program has encouraged others to step up and contribute. The Jenkins Family has launched a legacy that continues to inspire.”