Eighth Annual Legacy Lab Foundation Scholarship Seeks Students Turning Ideas Into Lasting Change

Applications are Open for the Next Generation of Changemakers Now Until October 19

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 16, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- From how we work to how we connect and support our communities, the next generation of changemakers sees plenty worth doing differently. And they’re not waiting until graduation to start. Across campuses and communities, students are challenging old assumptions, tackling problems that matter, and creating real-world impact.

The Legacy Lab, Team One’s award-winning think tank and strategic consultancy dedicated to understanding what it takes to build lasting impact, has opened applications for its eighth annual Legacy Lab Foundation Scholarship. Designed to champion that legacy-making ambition, the Foundation will award $15,000 to a BIPOC student who demonstrates an entrepreneurial vision and a proven commitment to creating lasting, positive change.

The scholarship puts into practice a belief that has guided The Legacy Lab since its founding in 2012: legacy isn’t simply what you leave behind; it’s what you pass forward. Open to students across disciplines and levels of higher education, the program supports emerging thinkers and doers already working to make a difference in their fields, communities and beyond.

“The ideas that shape our future won’t all come from the same places, disciplines or ways of thinking––and that’s exactly the point,” said Julie Michael, CEO of Team One. “Every year, we meet remarkable students who see something in the world that could be better and have the drive to actually do something about it. We’ve always believed that legacy is forward-looking and this scholarship is one way we can stand behind the next generation of thinkers and doers, and support what they’re already putting into motion, helping them take their ideas even further.”

Last year’s Legacy Lab Foundation Scholarship was awarded to Victoria Okonkwo, a Finance and Information Systems student at Stevens Institute of Technology who has turned her commitment to community service, youth leadership and financial literacy into tangible impact. Okonkwo founded the Bayonne Student Leadership Council at the Bayonne Youth Center, a New Jersey 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, creating a student-led platform for young people to lead community service, advocacy and civic engagement efforts.

“Being selected as a Legacy Lab Scholar was not only an investment in my education, but also in the communities I hope to continue serving,” said Okonkwo. “By relieving a significant financial burden, the scholarship allowed me to focus on growing my platform, which has reached more than 5.4 million accounts, and to continue my work with the Bayonne Youth Leadership Council.”

“My advice to future applicants is to lean into your story,” continued Okonkwo. “You may not always see the light in your own experiences, challenges, or what makes you different, but so many others can. I hope to use my light to carry forward the values of The Legacy Lab Foundation and create meaningful impact, just as this scholarship has done for me.”

Scholarship funds are intended as an investment in ongoing education to help the selected student achieve a personal ambition and to subsidize school-related expenses. To be eligible, applicants must identify as a BIPOC student and be enrolled in an undergraduate, graduate or doctoral program at a college, university, or similarly accredited institution in the United States. The application process requires a video submission (up to five minutes) addressing questions about the applicant’s field of study, contributions to their community and/or field, and aspirations post-graduation. The deadline to apply is Monday, October 19, 2026, by 9:00 a.m. PT.

The Legacy Lab Foundation Scholarship is powered by The Giving Back Fund, a Los Angeles–based nonprofit that facilitates charitable giving. For more information on The Legacy Lab Foundation Scholarship and application requirements, visit givingback.org/legacy-lab-scholarship.

ABOUT TEAM ONE
Team One is Publicis Groupe’s fully integrated media, digital, and communications agency dedicated to helping premium and luxury brands achieve their highest aspirations in the modern media landscape. With more than 400 employees, Team One has six North American offices, including its Los Angeles headquarters, Dallas, New York, Chicago, Atlanta and Boise. Team One clients include Lexus and the Lexus Dealer Association, Marriott International, The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, The RealReal, HKS Architects, Metabo HPT, The Duckhorn Portfolio, Hewlett Packard Enterprise and HP Inc., Moët Hennessy, and Cathay Pacific Airways. Team One continues to be recognized for its industry-leading work and unique culture, which encourages innovation at all levels. To learn more about the agency’s work, team, and innovation ethos, visit TeamOne-USA.com.

ABOUT THE LEGACY LAB
Launched by Team One in 2012, The Legacy Lab is a Los Angeles–based think tank exploring the dynamics of long-term brand building in a short-term world. It focuses on ambitious leaders: remarkable individuals who have succeeded in making their brands enduringly unique, inspiring, and influential—even as the times, technology, and competition change around them. The Legacy Lab includes The Legacy Lab Consultancy, which helps brands build legacies with the understanding that aspirational brands endure over time and have lasting value, as well as The Legacy Lab Foundation—a nonprofit created to invest in leaders and organizations aiming to make a durable difference in the world. The Legacy Lab is an enterprise of Team One. For more information, visit The Legacy Lab and follow all the latest learnings on LinkedIn.

ABOUT THE LEGACY LAB FOUNDATION
The Legacy Lab Foundation is a nonprofit part of Team One’s Legacy Lab, created to invest in leaders and organizations aiming to make a lasting difference in the world. Since 2019, it has been presenting a scholarship to students who represent the next generation of legacy makers. The scholarship is powered by The Giving Back Fund, a Los Angeles–based nonprofit that facilitates charitable giving. To learn more about The Legacy Lab Foundation Scholarship, visit givingback.org/legacy-lab-scholarship.

PRESS CONTACT:
Shelby Griffin
Communications, Team One
shelby.griffin@teamone-usa.com