Foundation Voices Blog

COVID-19's tendrils have wrapped themselves around nearly every aspect of our lives, but few institutions have felt the transformative effects of this pandemic like education. When they needed you most, facing uncertainty, unpredictability, and unease, your support soothed parents' anxiety over bringing homeroom into the living room.

This life adventure has reminded me of how contributions — time, talent, and treasure — can make a difference well beyond the initial gift. Whatever way you have provided help and support to the Mensa Foundation, you have made an impact that extends into the future.

Thanks to a few evenings of light debauchery and spirits sampling at the 2019 Annual Gathering in Phoenix, the GenY Special Interest Group raised more than $30,000 to endow a scholarship fund … a year earlier than they expected.

At the heart of this hilarious competitive pursuit for the crown, the mission of Mr. Mensa remains the same: to raise money for a worthy cause — and to have a good time doing it.

Mensa and the Mensa Foundation are like anything else in life: You get out of it exactly what you put into it. Participate, get involved. If you’re in a position to endow a scholarship, by all means do so. The Foundation will help you every step of the way.

The following was written by Mensan Jessica Street in support of Karyl Kubick Hanson’s nomination for the Mensa Foundation Distinguished Teacher Award, recognizing a teacher for positive influence on the education or life of a Mensa member. It is reprinted with permission upon the announcement of Hanson receiving the 2018 accolade.

It's not the grades I received on tests or worksheets that really shaped my education — what had a lasting impact for me were the activities and experiences that were driven by curiosity and discovery. Clever use of creativity and collaboration to solve problems provides kids I teach today the resilience and perseverance necessary for continual improvement.

As a second-generation Mensa member who’s married to a Mensan and hopes to have children in Mensa one day, I want to ensure a supportive environment for the bright young minds that seek acceptance and deserve to be celebrated.