Wolverines Academy

Empowering Students.
Transforming Families.
Changing Generations.

Wolverines Academy is a Private Operating Foundation that provides direct, sustained educational support to high-potential individuals in underserved communities. We invest in people who demonstrate grit, integrity, and the drive to transform their families and communities.

We Sponsor Grit, Wherever We Find It:

Students grinding through financial hardship to finish their university degree

Schools that are building a pathway to university for their students

Organizations on the ground doing the hard work of community change

Why We Exist

Across the world, talented students drop out of universities because they cannot afford basic living costs — food, transportation, textbooks, and housing. A modest monthly stipend can be the difference between graduating and giving up.

Wolverines Academy steps in exactly at this point:

Just enough support, for just the right students, at just the right time.

Tom and Lek Jones, Co-Founders

Our Story

We are a family that is strongly committed to giving back. We built this organization because we have deep roots in these communities. We've seen the talent. We've watched kids give up on their education because of money, not ability. Lek grew up navigating the same financial pressures that force talented students to quit. Wolverines Academy exists because we believe a small, consistent investment in the right people can change everything.

When we sponsored our first scholar back in 2014, we watched her progress and realized we were literally changing a person's life. The results were so dramatic that we committed to growing the program every year — and we have averaged 15 scholars annually ever since. Now that Tom is retired, he has committed his entrepreneurial energy to growing the Wolverines to 1,000 scholars per year. We have set a target of going from 15 scholars to 50 in 2026, so you can see that we are fully committed to aggressive growth and powerful results.

— Tom & Lek Jones, Co-Founders

Our Impact

We keep our program simple, transparent, and measurable.

2025 Snapshot

27+ scholars supported since inception

3 countries served

95%+ Graduation Rate

$100/month average scholarship support per student

Zero administrative overhead — all operating costs covered by the Jones Family Foundation. For every $1.00 donated, $1.00 goes entirely to scholarships.

Direct support to elementary schools and organizations that align with our mission

Where We Serve

Thailand

Thailand

Mexico

Mexico

Lebanon

Lebanon

The 1,000 Wolverines Vision

Our long-term goal is as bold as it is achievable: Grow the Wolverines Academy to support 1,000 university scholars per year within the next 25 years.

Scholars Currently Funded

18 of 1,000

27 scholars supported since inception · 18 active today

To operate at that scale, the Wolverines Academy aims to build a $25 million endowment that will provide stable, perpetual funding of $1 million annually — enough to support 1,000 students at $100/month, forever.

How We Work

Our model is intentionally simple:

  • Identify hardworking, disciplined students with strong academic performance and high financial need
  • Provide a fixed monthly stipend to cover essential living expenses
  • Monitor progress through grades, communication, and mentor feedback
  • Keep administrative overhead at zero — the Jones Family Foundation covers all operating costs, so 100% of contributed funds go directly to recipients
  • Ensure that funds go directly to our Wolverine scholars, not their universities — 100% aligned with transparency, efficiency, and results

Built for Accountability

Wolverines Academy is a Delaware-incorporated Private Operating Foundation (EIN: 41-3171238) with formal governance policies, zero board compensation, and complete financial transparency.

Support Our Wolverines

Your contribution goes directly to students — 100% of donated funds reach our scholars.