126 Derrius Quarles, Million Dollar Scholar

Derrius Quarles makes things happen. Having grown up in a financially humble background and as an alumnus of foster care, his journey to becoming an award-winning entrepreneur and a globally recognized social change maker has been complex. His turning point came when as a high school student and he made the decision that he wanted to become the first in my family to go to college. Living in poverty at the time, scholarships were an invaluable resource to his pursuit of higher education. Before entering Morehouse College, he gained over one million dollars in scholarship awards.   He graduated disenchanted with the state of higher education access for low-income youth and those who have experienced foster care. The led him to become the Founder & CEO of Million Dollar Scholar, an ed-tech social venture that provides a high-impact low-cost scholarship and financial aid curriculum to decrease financial barriers to higher-ed.   He is now a sought-after speaker in the areas of scholarship education, youth/foster youth empowerment, and entrepreneurship. He is also the author of the education bestseller MillionDollarScholar: Winning The Scholarship Race.   Derrius’s Challenge; Try meditation. Even if it’s just 3 minutes.   Connect with Derrius Twitter LinkedIn Personal Website MDS Website If you liked this interview, check out episode 114 with Dan Bull where we discuss giving inmates a second chance through entrepreneurship.