A new partnership between Figgers, the Milken Scholars Program and the Milken Center for Advancing the American Dream (MCAAD) is ensuring that the next generation of Scholars begins college with the technology and connectivity they need to succeed.
As members of the Milken Scholars Class of 2026 step onto campuses across the country, many are navigating a transition filled with new responsibilities, new environments and new expectations. Figgers is helping them start that journey equipped with the tools they need to learn, communicate and stay connected from day one.
A Gift of Technology and Access
Through the generosity of Figgers founder and CEO Freddie Figgers, each Scholar received a Figgers computer along with complimentary one-year wireless internet service. Together, the two resources address one of the most common and least discussed barriers to college success: reliable access to technology.
For many students, the cost of a quality computer and dependable internet service can be a significant burden, arriving at the exact moment when tuition, housing and textbooks are already straining family budgets. By removing that burden entirely, Figgers is allowing Scholars to focus their energy where it belongs, on their studies, their goals and their growth.
The pairing of hardware with connectivity reflects the philosophy behind Figgers Communication itself. A computer without internet access is only half a solution. By providing both, Figgers ensures that Scholars can attend virtual lectures, conduct research, submit assignments, apply for internships and stay in touch with family and mentors, whether they are on campus, at home or anywhere in between.
Rooted in a Personal Story
The support follows Freddie Figgers' participation in the Milken Scholars Summit and DC Recognition Ceremony, where he addressed the incoming class and shared his own remarkable journey. Abandoned as an infant and adopted by loving parents in rural Florida, Figgers taught himself to repair and program computers as a child, launched his first technology venture as a teenager and went on to build one of the few Black owned telecommunications companies in the United States.
His message to the Scholars was direct and deeply personal. Obstacles are real, but they are not the end of the story. Talent, persistence and the support of people who believe in you can carry you further than circumstances ever suggested.
That message resonated. For Scholars who have already overcome significant challenges of their own to earn a place in the Milken Scholars Program, hearing it from someone who has lived it carried a weight that no statistic could.
Gratitude Across the Country
As the computers began arriving at Scholars' homes and universities, the responses came quickly. Scholars shared photos of themselves unboxing their new devices and sent messages expressing what the gift meant to them.
"I'm so grateful for the laptop and truly appreciate Mr. Figgers' generosity and support. It means so much to me as I begin this new chapter at college," one Scholar wrote.
Others described the gift as generous and thoughtful, asking that their thanks be passed along directly to Mr. Figgers. For students beginning one of the most demanding chapters of their lives, the gesture communicated something beyond the practical value of the equipment. It told them that someone is invested in their success.
More Than a Device
For a college student, a computer is more than a device. It is a classroom, a research library, a communication center, a creative studio and a gateway to opportunity. It is where essays are written, problem sets are solved, job applications are submitted and connections are made.
Connectivity multiplies that value. With a full year of wireless internet service included, Scholars are not limited by campus network availability, unreliable home connections or the cost of a data plan. They can work wherever life takes them.
By providing both technology and connectivity, Figgers is helping make those opportunities more accessible and ensuring that no Scholar's potential is limited by their access to tools.
Building a Partnership for the Future
This initiative marks the beginning of a continued partnership between Figgers, the Milken Scholars Program and MCAAD, focused on supporting Scholars and creating greater opportunities for them in the years ahead.
The organizations share a common conviction. Investing in talented young people yields returns that ripple outward through families, communities and industries. The Milken Scholars Program has spent decades identifying and supporting exceptional students who demonstrate academic excellence, leadership and resilience. Figgers brings to the partnership both the resources of a growing technology company and the lived example of its founder, whose story mirrors the perseverance the program celebrates.
Together, the partnership is about more than providing technology. It is about investing in education, in opportunity and in the futures of Scholars who will go on to shape their fields and their communities.
As the Class of 2026 settles into campus life, they do so knowing that a network of supporters stands behind them, and that the tools in their hands were given by someone who understands exactly how far determination can take you.