"In high school, I decided that I wanted to be a brain surgeon. There were no brain surgeons in my family, and I didn’t even routinely visit a doctor’s office. This was essentially a fairy tale dream. I created Leaders Inspiring Fruitful Tomorrows (LIFT) in May 2005 with one purpose; to help students then, like me, navigate the process of applying for and entering medical school. Unlike my experience, I wanted students to have a team to guide their interests, provide necessary information regarding the process, and give advice while in the pursuit of a dream. Some would call the members of such a team mentors, a concept that was foreign to me at the time. While I ultimately changed my specialty goal many times over, I still became a physician by fighting my way through failures, fatigue, and even misery with just a small set of supporters. However, there are some students who are unable to see their dreams come to fruition due to their background, financial status, race, and/or lack of structured support and resources. Our goal is to ensure that does not happen."
Our Story
"I never imagined that this process of starting a non-profit would take over 10 years just to get off the ground, but it did and still continues to be a work in progress. As I continued through medical school, residency, fellowship, many moves, and life events in between, we continue to build while learning in the process. We cannot do it alone. We need community involvement, support, and funding so that our programs can succeed and flourish. We affirm the belief that it takes a village to raise a child, in addition to parental guidance and training at home. LIFT has evolved over the years, but the foundation has never changed. We will assemble leaders in our community in support of educational and resource support for three fundamental initiatives: equity in education (gender, race, and social status), financial literacy, and community development and diversity."
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Sincerely, Dr. Tarra I. Faulk, D.O., FASN – Founder, President, and CEO
Our Board of Directors:
Roderick Faulk, Co-Founder
Africa Fullove
Scott McCusker
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Organizational documents are available by request.
OUR MISSION
Leaders Inspiring Fruitful Tomorrows (LIFT) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization established to provide scholarships, mentoring, and educational opportunities for students interested in going to college, as well as students who have a specific interest in medicine, law, or business. We direct our efforts and resources to middle school, high school, and college students, challenging them to create and pursue goals regardless of ethnic, social, or financial background. LIFT Scholars will be informed, equipped, and encouraged to be life-long students in the pursuit of their dreams and aspirations.
OUR VISION
Education is power. Education is still important. It is the backbone of many professions and is a force multiplier and propellant within communities. We strive to make the completion of secondary and higher education a reality with proper support and resources. We won’t just help you get started on your journey; we will provide leadership, mentorship, and equipment for every step along the way. We hope to implement future learning centers (LIFT Smart Centers) to spread across communities that will expand the access of vulnerable populations to quiet study spaces, library materials, free Internet and print access, and collocated childcare centers.
OUR RESOURCES
Our programs immerse rising students in their desired career fields through events, forums, workshops, guest speakers, trips, and mentor experiences. We also partner with test prep agencies to ready our students for standardized tests by offsetting the cost of test-prep classes. Next, we prepare students for their secondary and college experience with a specific focus on financial education and budgeting/resource management while providing directed scholarships. In that same spirit, we provide free educational resources and advocate for improved education costs, quality education, and affordable student housing.
