Our story
Atlas Scholars was founded to plug some of the gaps in the public education system — particularly around a lack of real-world experience and exposure and the disparity in experiences for students even within the same school district.
In late 2012, Craig Taylor and Tejpal Singh created a revolutionary development program aimed at driving students’ personal and professional growth from every angle over the course of several years in high school and beyond.
The idea was ambitious: three summer internships, year-round hands-on mentorship from program leadership and other industry leaders, comprehensive college preparation and scholarships, and the engagement of executives and leaders to help create experiential learning opportunities not available through public school.
Atlas Scholars accepted its first class of students in 2013, and our impact has scaled ever since. Each year, ~10 students from a range of diverse backgrounds across Houston are selected to join a lifelong network of support and growth.
Atlas Scholars creates an environment in which students’ motivation, drive, and desire to invest in themselves — as well as their resulting performance in the program — is the determinant of their success.
“We teach the kids to not allow themselves to be defined by where they came from, but rather, by what they accomplish and what they stand for.”
Craig Taylor and Tejpal Singh with some of our Scholars and program supporters at our October 2021 fundraiser in Houston
The program’s recent accomplishments include:
>$600,000 in college scholarships awarded since inception
~$390,000 raised in October 2022 at our second annual Sunday for Scholars fundraiser
Winner of the 2021 ALLY Energy GRIT Trailblazer Energy Superheroes Award
Rapidly-growing alumni base, with over 70 alumni now at the top universities and companies in the nation
Quickly-expanding institutional partnerships, creating greater experiential opportunities for our students