College Visions, a Rhode Island nonprofit dedicated to empowering first-generation students to earn a college degree, build careers, and become the next generation of leaders, has been selected to receive a $150,000  Special Recognition Award from the Red Sox Foundation in recognition of the organization’s impact in expanding college and career opportunities for first-generation students across Rhode Island. 

The award was presented to College Visions during a special on-field ceremony at Fenway Park on Friday, August 21, 2026, prior to the Boston Red Sox game against the San Francisco Giants.

“We are honored to award a Special Recognition Award to College Visions, an organization doing extraordinary work to support the educational aspirations of first-generation students across Rhode Island," says Bekah  Salwasser, Red Sox Foundation Executive Director and EVP, Social Impact, Boston Red Sox. "Our mission is rooted in expanding opportunity - whether through health, recreation, or education - and this award initiative gives us the ability to support meaningful programs like College Visions that create real change where it is needed most. We look forward to celebrating College Visions' mission, impact, and students tonight at Fenway Park.”

“We are incredibly honored to receive this extraordinary recognition and investment from the Red Sox Foundation,” says Lamont Gordon, Executive Director of College Visions. “This award is a powerful affirmation of  our students and the impact College Visions is having across Rhode Island. This recognition comes at an exciting time for College Visions as we continue to grow our reach and deepen our impact. We are deeply  grateful to the Red Sox Foundation for believing in our mission and, most importantly, believing in the extraordinary potential of the young people we serve.”

Founded in 2004, College Visions empowers first-generation students in Rhode Island to achieve the promise of higher education and become the next generation of leaders. The organization provides comprehensive  college access, college success, and career preparation programs designed to support students from high school through college graduation and into the workforce. Through individualized advising, mentoring, career  exploration, and leadership development, College Visions helps students navigate the path to and through college and prepare for long-term success. 

College Visions serves more than 550 students annually from communities across Rhode Island, including Central Falls, Cranston, Pawtucket, Providence, Newport, and Woonsocket. Nearly 100% of CV Scholars enroll in college, and the organization’s six-year college graduation rate of more than 70% significantly exceeds the national rate for first-generation students. The $150,000 grant from the Red Sox Foundation will support  College Visions’ work to deepen and expand its impact, strengthening programs and creating opportunities for more young people across Rhode Island. 

About Red Sox Foundation
The official team charity of the Boston Red Sox, the Red Sox Foundation has awarded more than 7,000 grants since its creation in 2002 and focuses on making a difference in the lives of children, families, Veterans,  and communities in need by improving their health, education, and recreational opportunities. Through core partnerships with best-in-class organizations in healthcare, the Red Sox have helped raised over $190 million  for cancer treatment and research for The Jimmy Fund, supported more than 50,000 Veterans and their families suffering from the “invisible wounds of war” with the Home Base Program, and helped the Dimock Center  serve over 20,000 patients annually with health and human services. The Foundation’s self-run, direct-service education and youth baseball and softball programs have helped 385 Boston Public Schools students with  college scholarships and promotes healthy choices and valuable life skills to more than 1,500 youth annually through its Nike RBI baseball and softball program in Boston, Chelsea and Lawrence. 

A 501(c)(3) nonprofit, the Red Sox Foundation raises funds through special events, corporate sponsorships, and grants. Founded and initially funded by Red Sox Principal Owner John Henry, Chairman Tom Werner, the  late Larry Lucchino and their partners, the Red Sox Foundation has won numerous awards for the impact of its innovative programs. In 2010, the Foundation’s Red Sox Scholars program was recognized by Major  League Baseball with the first-ever “MLB Commissioner’s Award for Philanthropic Excellence.” In 2009, the Red Sox Foundation was honored by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Sports Philanthropy  Project with the Patterson Award as the nation’s “Best Team Charity in Sports.” For more information about the foundation, visit redsoxfoundation.org.