David Riley II

High School Graduation Year: 2024
Year First Awarded the Carson Scholarship: 2016
Sponsored by: Carson Scholars Fund

2026 Update: David Riley is a Business Administration major with a concentration in Finance at Morehouse College, where he is committed to academic excellence and ethical leadership. He serves as Co-Founder and Vice President of Progressive Black Men, Inc. and Co-Director of Community Outreach for Business Behind the Ball, leading initiatives that support youth development and community engagement. As a UNCF Lighted Pathways Program Scholar and incoming Summer Investment Analyst at Cambridge Associates in Boston, MA, he is gaining exposure to the asset and wealth management industry. David aspires to use finance as a tool to expand access to opportunity and help close the wealth gap in underserved communities.

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2025 Update: David is a rising sophomore at Morehouse College majoring in business administration with a concentration in finance. He is passionate about using financial literacy as a tool to close the racial wealth gap and empower underserved communities. David earned a 4.0 GPA in his first semester and was honored at Morehouse College Scholars Day as one of only 20 freshmen to achieve a perfect GPA. His long-term goal is to launch a nonprofit that teaches financial literacy to Black youth and creates pathways to generational wealth.

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2024: David is a volunteer and mentor for the Chessology School for Chess Education, a comprehensive chess program for students aged five through thirteen.  He has dedicated more than 150 hours to tutoring and mentoring over 25 chess students and plays a key role in organizing chess tournaments, including an online international event.  David also volunteers for Plywood People, a nonprofit that trains and supports a global community of social impact leaders, by participating in and supporting entrepreneurial workshops.  He has also served as president of his school’s Computer Science Club and co-founder and vice president of a student group where fathers and sons read and discuss books on various subjects, including leadership and financial literacy.