The Eagle Academy Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving educational, career, and life outcomes for young men of color, today announced Donald M. Ruff Jr. as The Foundation’s new president & CEO. In his new role, Mr. Ruff will lead the organization’s efforts to transform the lives of young men of color in New York City and across the country through education, mentoring, and post-secondary support.
Mr. Ruff has over 15 years of experience with The Eagle Academy Foundation. Beginning in 2007, he served as the founding college counselor at the Eagle Academy for Young Men in the Bronx, the first school in The Foundation’s network of six public college-preparatory schools serving more than 3,000 young men in marginalized communities across all five boroughs of New York City and Newark, N.J. In this role, he helped establish strategic partnerships that resulted in approximately $2 million of in-kind support in the form of corporate collaborations, enrichment programming, internships, and travel abroad opportunities for Eagle Academy scholars.
He has since spent over a decade as The Foundation’s director of College and Post-Secondary Initiatives, overseeing a team of post-secondary counselors across the Eagle network. Under his leadership, the Eagle Academy schools’ post-secondary work has led to a college-acceptance rate of 98% for last year’s graduates and an alumni network of more than 2,400 successful and driven young men. The Eagle Academy schools have achieved an average graduation rate of 88% – compared to a national graduation rate of 59% for young men of color – in the same period.
“Donald Ruff’s exceptional expertise, management, and leadership have proven that he is the most suitable person to lead The Eagle Academy Foundation and the young men and communities we serve toward an even brighter future,” said A. Mark Getachew, chairman of The Eagle Academy Foundation’s Board of Directors and partner at Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP. “His demonstrated commitment to our young men, schools, and stakeholders will provide a solid foundation for our expanded vision to better serve young men through their education and well beyond into their careers. The work Donald is spearheading is more vital than ever, and we are eager to see him build on the triumphs of The Eagle Academy Foundation and its Eagle Academy schools.”
“I am honored to have been selected to serve as The Eagle Academy Foundation’s president and CEO,” said Donald M. Ruff Jr. “It has been my life’s work to improve the educational and life outcomes of young men of color, and I greatly look forward to working with our team, board, and partners to continue to change lives, improve education across the country, and challenge narratives that hold Black and brown communities back. My vision for The Eagle Academy Foundation is to build on our decades of experience and knowledge to ensure that young men of color across the country graduate from high school, are prepared for college and careers, and find their own paths to personal and professional success.”
Mr. Ruff also works as a lead coach, facilitator, and presenter with the Eagle Institute – a professional development and consulting initiative of The Eagle Academy Foundation that provides essential training and support to schools and educators across the country. Through the Eagle Institute, he has impacted over 1,000 educators and more than 29,000 students across 26 school districts and 65 cities.
“Mr. Ruff’s commitment and dedication to our school community is unmatched,” said Hector Velazquez principal of the Eagle Academy for Young Men in the Bronx. “There is no doubt in my mind that the Eagle Academy Foundation and schools are in the right hands to lead our school communities toward an evolving future where our young men become future leaders in our country and globally.”
“Mr. Ruff is very supportive and empathetic to the needs of the scholars and the community,” said Franky Simmons, principal of the Eagle Academy for Young Men of Harlem. “He is a visionary, and the changes he continues to make are and will be extremely impactful within the community we serve.”
“Mr. Ruff has always worked hard to secure partnerships and opportunities to support our young men in post-Eagle success,” said Rashad Meade, principal of the Eagle Academy for Young Men at Ocean Hill. “It is great to see someone who has worked tirelessly behind the scenes for years for Eagle Academy’s scholars to now lead The Foundation.”
Mr. Ruff takes on the position of leadership after serving as interim president and CEO, a role he took on following his predecessor, David C. Banks’, appointment as New York City schools chancellor.
Media interested in learning more about The Eagle Academy Foundation should contact Jennifer Lawrence at jennifer@thetascgroup.com or 512-516-2138.
The Eagle Academy Foundation is a game-changing non-profit organization, dedicated to improving educational, career, and life outcomes for young men of color in New York City and across the country through education, mentoring, and post-secondary support. The Foundation developed and supports the Eagle Academy schools—a network of six traditional public schools serving young men from marginalized communities across the five boroughs of New York City and Newark, N.J. For more information, visit eafny.org and follow The Eagle Academy Foundation on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.
