The Ronald D. & Regina C. McNeil Foundation, Inc. was founded in 2002 in support of education. The Foundation is a private 501(c)3 and since its inception has maintained an annual administrative cost of less than 1%. The founders, Ronald Dean McNeil and Regina Clark McNeil, are both natives of Detroit, Michigan and graduates of Detroit Cass Technical High School, which is where they met.

The founders believe that education is an essential element in a successful life plan and challenge themselves and others to “Reach Beyond Your Grasp”.

To date, The Foundation has established six endowments, two scholarship programs and one scholarship fund.

Our inaugural endowment, The Sanders M. Clark Endowed Scholarship, was established at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, College of Engineering. Two additional endowments, also at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, are The Ronald D. McNeil Endowed Football Scholarship and The Regina Clark McNeil Endowed Fund in the School of Education. Recipients are named Sanders M. Clark Scholars, Ronald D. McNeil Scholar-Athletes and Regina Clark McNeil Scholars, respectively.  A fourth endowment, The Ronald Louis Clark Endowed Scholarship, was established in January, 2015 through the University of Michigan’s Alumni Association’s LEAD Scholars Program.  Recipients are named Ronald Louis Clark Scholars.  The Alumni Association also administers The Regina Clark McNeil Endowed Scholarship and The Ronald Dean McNeil Endowed Scholarship. Recipients are respectively named Regina Clark McNeil LEAD Scholars and Ronald Dean McNeil Scholars.

The McNeil Scholar Program-Detroit was established in 2007 for graduates of the Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD) matriculating to accredited institutions of higher education within the state of Michigan. The McNeil Scholar Program-Lana’i, established in 2012, is for graduates of the Lana’i High & Elementary School (LHES) who plan to attend college in the United States. Recipients of The McNeil Scholar Programs are named McNeil Scholars.  Both McNeil Scholar Programs also support DPSCD and LHES graduates matriculating to one of the five United States Military Academies.

The Elijah L. McNeil, Jr. Scholarship Fund was established in 2012 in honor of
co-founder Ronald D. McNeil’s father, Elijah L. McNeil, Jr. The Fund is administered by The Foundation through The McNeil Scholar Program-Detroit and provides support for DPSCD graduates who enroll in the School of Business Administration at Wayne State University. Recipients are named Elijah L. McNeil, Jr. Scholars.

The Ronald D. and Regina C. McNeil Walking Robotics Laboratory and the Ronald D. and Regina C. McNeil Department Chair of Robotics are named in honor of Foundation co-founders, Ronald and Regina McNeil.