Do you want to know the background information of Betsy DeVos? If yes, then you are at the right place. Betsy DeVos has a philanthropist background; his father and brother are the founders of Family Research Council and Blackwater USA respectively. Due to her business degree and BA in Political Science, she has all traits of a good leader and an entrepreneur. With her political background, Betsy got a chance in 1976 where she was campaigning for Gerald Ford. Regarding leadership, she has worked as a board member in many organizations which include non-governmental ones.
Apart from being a leader, Betsy runs a nonprofit foundation that is concerned with changing lives and improving education. Her family is recognized for raising much money towards the funding of the petition-gathering campaign. The funding raised about $1.2 million. This funding aimed to amend the constitution so that private and religious schools can get financing from the government. Every member of Betsy’s family was involved in raising funds. Some of the members include Dick DeVos who is the son of Betsy, Helen and Richard DeVos and Mother Elsa Prince. Every organization which was connected to Betsy was also involved in contributing.
Each action she takes has a definite motive behind it. For instance, she wanted to change the role of the government in the education sector. Betsy wanted the funding given to public schools also given to private and religious ones. The funding will help these schools so that they can improve their activities. If you look at most public schools, they are failing despite all the funds they are getting from the government. If the money is channeled to private schools, many people will benefit and give better services than public schools.
Another motive behind the funding of private schools was her children. Betsy wanted to work a role model for low-income parents and their kids. According to her answer to PHILANTHROPY, if she happens to take her children to a good school, other parents will do that too. She did that by increasing her concern in funding these parents. More motivation came when Dick, a husband to Betsy was elected as a member of state board of education. From that point, the changed the strategy by starting a foundation that could give scholarships instead of funds. By that, many parents benefited much than before.
To make their foundation and other similar foundation worthwhile, she worked in boards that aimed at expanding the choice of education through tax credit and vouchers. Betsy DeVos and her husband were also involved in several attempts to change the Michigan’s first charter-school bill. Their success could help many urban children who wanted better education options.
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