History

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The Kappa Scholarship Endowment Fund of Western PA (“KSEF”) was the brainchild of Mr.
Thomas A. Motley, Sr., past Polemarch of the Pittsburgh Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi
Fraternity, Inc. KSEF was created as the philanthropic arm of the Pittsburgh Alumni Chapter
to offer financial assistance via scholarships and financial awards to support the needs of
African American students at undergraduate and graduate levels. It received 501 (c) 3 status
(a provision of the US Internal Revenue Code for non-profit organizations exempt from some
federal income taxes) in July 1991. EIN number is 25-1672589 and United Way number is
4338. Earl F. Hord was appointed to chair KSEF’s formation committee and was likewise
charged with the responsibility of filing the necessary application materials for its
establishment. With the legal assistance of Attorney James E Ford, the infrastructure for
KSEF was established in 1991.

KSEF has been the conduit in providing scholarship valued over $4.5 million dollars to over
240 students since its inception. KSEF also provides mentoring services targeting African
American men through its Kappa League Program. This is a mentoring program designed to
work with Western PA based minority high school students (young men) with the goal of
development of tangible and intangible skills needed to be successful upon completion of
high school.

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In 2018, KSEF expanded its mission with its “Healthy Kappa” initiative in promoting annual
events throughout Western PA educating and encouraging weight loss, weight management,
proper diet/nutrition and exposure to different forms of exercise.
KSEF serves as a focal point of financial and philanthropic resources to the African American
community with particular emphasis on African American men, while assisting in making the
Fraternity a more prominent force in the community. Since its inception, recipients of
scholarships and financial awards have excelled academically and continue to develop their
skills to be competitive in the 21 st century.

To further foster its mission to provide philanthropic support through academic scholarships
to high school seniors, KSEF has partnered with Community College of Allegheny County,
Duquesne University and Penn State University to target a broader pool of talented African
American students. KSEF has likewise partnered with NEED to better leverage its scholarship
dollars awarded to talented college-bound students. KSEF has launched several corporate
partnership awards including the KSEF/Highmark-Aaron Walton Award, KSEF/UPMC Award
and KSEF/Dollar Bank Award. These corporate backed awards are reflective of KSEF’s
continuous success in identifying outstanding students from Western PA.
In addition to the high school awards, KSEF offers the Marcus P Blakemore Undergraduate
Award to talented undergraduate members of Kappa Alpha Psi in the Western Pennsylvania
area.

KSEF is governed and managed by a volunteer group of officers and Board of Directors
members that dedicate their personal time and resources to the mission of the organization.
Under the current leadership of Howard A. Russell, Jr, (Board President) KSEF has established as
a goal the continued endowment of financial capital that will allow KSEF to continue to provide
scholarship assistance and other support services through perpetuity. As part of the endowed
strategy, in 2024 KSEF will launch its naming rights for endowed scholarships which will allow
individuals, corporations, etc to have financial awards in their name leaving a long-term legacy
of support of KSEF and its mission.

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MORE INFORMATION

www.KSEFPGH.org