Coach Foundation's Vision: Doubling Impact with 10,000 Scholarships by 2030
Coach celebrated "Dream Day," the highlight event of the Coach Foundation's Dream It Real initiative, organized in collaboration with Coachtopia, the brand's sub-label dedicated to circular craftsmanship and creative cooperation. This partnership reinforces Coach's comprehensive strategy to offer essential resources to young individuals.
The Coach Foundation facilitates this through impactful scholarships for historically underrepresented youth, while Coachtopia supports future climate leaders with direct funding, creative partnerships, and educational resources via the Coachtopia Catalyst Fund, which contributes 1% of the brand's revenue. Inspired by Coach's commitment to authentic self-expression and environmental sustainability, Dream Day 2024 honored the next generation's resolve to foster lasting change and build a sustainable future for the fashion industry and beyond.
The theme for Dream Day 2024 was "Dreaming Tomorrow," featuring a day filled with talks, workshops, and networking opportunities led by Gen Z activists, innovators, and creatives. This theme drew from the Coachtopia Beta Community model, which redefines the relationship between brand and consumer by leveraging the creativity of a global Gen Z community focused on tackling the climate crisis. Participants engaged in discussions on dreaming big while overcoming community barriers, developing the courage to create a better future for both themselves and the planet, and maintaining workplace confidence without compromising their values. Most of the 200 attendees were Coach Foundation Dream It Real Scholars, who receive four-year scholarships and mentorship from Coach employees throughout their college journey.
These students are from the Foundation’s long-term nonprofit partners, including The Opportunity Network, Bottom Line, Point Foundation, and The Hetrick-Martin Institute, along with the latest partner, the Millennium Campus Network (MCN). Additionally, members of the Coachtopia Beta Community, including climate activists, design collaborators, content creators, and Coachtopia Catalyst Fund grant recipients, also participated and led panel discussions throughout the event.
Joon Silverstein, SVP of Global Marketing and Sustainability at Coach, and Head of Coachtopia, stated, “A founding principle of Coachtopia was our determination to co-create a better future with our Gen Z community. Our work to support, nurture and collaborate with the climate leaders of tomorrow naturally aligns with Dream It Real’s mission to create opportunities for young people to thrive while staying true to their core values.”
The event began with the announcement of the Coach Foundation’s newest scholarship initiative: The Dream It Real x Coachtopia Scholars Program, created in partnership with MCN. This program aims to support undergraduate leaders from underrepresented communities who are committed to sustainability, including advancing circularity in the fashion industry. The pilot will provide 10 to 15 Coachtopia Scholars, selected from thousands of global applicants, with comprehensive support to help them achieve their full potential.
Following the announcement, attendees were treated to an exclusive teaser screening of "Asali: Power of The Pollinators," an animated short film directed by environmental activist and Coachtopia Catalyst Fund recipient Maya Penn, co-produced by Viola Davis and Julius Tenon of JuVee Productions, and featuring voices from Whoopi Goldberg and Monique Coleman, among others. Penn then led a panel discussion with the film's cast.
The day continued with three interactive mentorship panels highlighting new leaders, including Coachtopia Catalyst Fund recipients, Coachtopia Beta Community collaborators, and Dream It Real Scholars. These panels covered essential Gen Z topics like driving change, identifying values, starting a venture, and building a digital presence and community. Emphasizing the brand’s belief in making dreams accessible to all, the Dream Day 2024 content and educational resources will be available on Coachtopia’s “World of Coachtopia” blog pages.
"Through the Coach Foundation, we've been able to expand our impact to support thousands of students globally," said Coach CEO and Brand President, Todd Kahn. “This year's Dream Day is special because we get to host our Dream It Real Scholars and the Coachtopia Beta Community, both who embody our purpose, The Courage to Be Real, in all they do. I am consistently in awe of students and young professionals who have the courage to make their dreams a reality and look forward to seeing the positive impact they will make on our industry.”
“Dream Day to us is about connecting like-minded, ambitious young people to be inspired and build community, regardless of where they come from,” says Julia Furnari, Executive Director of The Coach Foundation. “The students in our scholarship programs are extraordinary and they overcome barriers daily. Today is about giving them the tools to foster even greater impact for their future and their communities.”
Looking ahead, the Coach Foundation remains dedicated to advancing its mission of empowering young people to achieve their fullest potential, rooted in the belief that every young person deserves equal opportunities to pursue their dreams. Having met its initial goal of funding 5,000 scholarships by 2025, the Foundation has pledged to double its efforts, aiming to fund 10,000 scholarships by 2030.
The Coach Foundation facilitates this through impactful scholarships for historically underrepresented youth, while Coachtopia supports future climate leaders with direct funding, creative partnerships, and educational resources via the Coachtopia Catalyst Fund, which contributes 1% of the brand's revenue. Inspired by Coach's commitment to authentic self-expression and environmental sustainability, Dream Day 2024 honored the next generation's resolve to foster lasting change and build a sustainable future for the fashion industry and beyond.
The theme for Dream Day 2024 was "Dreaming Tomorrow," featuring a day filled with talks, workshops, and networking opportunities led by Gen Z activists, innovators, and creatives. This theme drew from the Coachtopia Beta Community model, which redefines the relationship between brand and consumer by leveraging the creativity of a global Gen Z community focused on tackling the climate crisis. Participants engaged in discussions on dreaming big while overcoming community barriers, developing the courage to create a better future for both themselves and the planet, and maintaining workplace confidence without compromising their values. Most of the 200 attendees were Coach Foundation Dream It Real Scholars, who receive four-year scholarships and mentorship from Coach employees throughout their college journey.
These students are from the Foundation’s long-term nonprofit partners, including The Opportunity Network, Bottom Line, Point Foundation, and The Hetrick-Martin Institute, along with the latest partner, the Millennium Campus Network (MCN). Additionally, members of the Coachtopia Beta Community, including climate activists, design collaborators, content creators, and Coachtopia Catalyst Fund grant recipients, also participated and led panel discussions throughout the event.
Joon Silverstein, SVP of Global Marketing and Sustainability at Coach, and Head of Coachtopia, stated, “A founding principle of Coachtopia was our determination to co-create a better future with our Gen Z community. Our work to support, nurture and collaborate with the climate leaders of tomorrow naturally aligns with Dream It Real’s mission to create opportunities for young people to thrive while staying true to their core values.”
The event began with the announcement of the Coach Foundation’s newest scholarship initiative: The Dream It Real x Coachtopia Scholars Program, created in partnership with MCN. This program aims to support undergraduate leaders from underrepresented communities who are committed to sustainability, including advancing circularity in the fashion industry. The pilot will provide 10 to 15 Coachtopia Scholars, selected from thousands of global applicants, with comprehensive support to help them achieve their full potential.
Following the announcement, attendees were treated to an exclusive teaser screening of "Asali: Power of The Pollinators," an animated short film directed by environmental activist and Coachtopia Catalyst Fund recipient Maya Penn, co-produced by Viola Davis and Julius Tenon of JuVee Productions, and featuring voices from Whoopi Goldberg and Monique Coleman, among others. Penn then led a panel discussion with the film's cast.
The day continued with three interactive mentorship panels highlighting new leaders, including Coachtopia Catalyst Fund recipients, Coachtopia Beta Community collaborators, and Dream It Real Scholars. These panels covered essential Gen Z topics like driving change, identifying values, starting a venture, and building a digital presence and community. Emphasizing the brand’s belief in making dreams accessible to all, the Dream Day 2024 content and educational resources will be available on Coachtopia’s “World of Coachtopia” blog pages.
"Through the Coach Foundation, we've been able to expand our impact to support thousands of students globally," said Coach CEO and Brand President, Todd Kahn. “This year's Dream Day is special because we get to host our Dream It Real Scholars and the Coachtopia Beta Community, both who embody our purpose, The Courage to Be Real, in all they do. I am consistently in awe of students and young professionals who have the courage to make their dreams a reality and look forward to seeing the positive impact they will make on our industry.”
“Dream Day to us is about connecting like-minded, ambitious young people to be inspired and build community, regardless of where they come from,” says Julia Furnari, Executive Director of The Coach Foundation. “The students in our scholarship programs are extraordinary and they overcome barriers daily. Today is about giving them the tools to foster even greater impact for their future and their communities.”
Looking ahead, the Coach Foundation remains dedicated to advancing its mission of empowering young people to achieve their fullest potential, rooted in the belief that every young person deserves equal opportunities to pursue their dreams. Having met its initial goal of funding 5,000 scholarships by 2025, the Foundation has pledged to double its efforts, aiming to fund 10,000 scholarships by 2030.
Companies