Ford Philanthropy, Uber, and Rocket Community Fund Join Last Mile Education Fund to Keep Thousands of STEM Students on the Road to Graduation

New $12 million Transportation Access Fund treats mobility as essential workforce infrastructure, helping 7,700 financially vulnerable students reach classrooms, internships, and careers

LAFAYETTE, Colo., July 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Last Mile Education Fund today announced the launch of its Transportation Access Fund, a 3-year initiative to ensure financially vulnerable STEM students can get to campus, internships, and critical learning opportunities—removing a key barrier to degree completion. Ford Philanthropy is joining the initiative as a founding partner, with Uber and Rocket Community Fund joining as inaugural donors.

Thirty-five percent of Last Mile students cite transportation and mobility challenges as a barrier to persistence. Across the country, transportation disruptions—from unexpected car repairs to limited transit options—can derail students who are otherwise on track to graduate. The Transportation Access Fund provides rapid, flexible support to cover these gaps, ensuring students can stay on track to graduate.

"Too often, the final barrier between a student and a degree isn't academic—it's logistical," said Ruthe Farmer, Founder & CEO of Last Mile Education Fund. "Transportation is essential infrastructure for talent. With the Transportation Access Fund, we're ensuring that getting to class isn't what stands between persistence and a career."

The Transportation Access Fund builds on Last Mile's proven model of delivering fast, targeted financial support to students in the last mile to graduation in high-demand STEM fields—students who are academically on track but financially vulnerable.

As a founding sponsor, Ford Philanthropy is investing in solutions that strengthen the future workforce while expanding access to opportunity for students across the country.

"At Ford Philanthropy, we believe transportation access is the key to opportunity. For many students, the simple challenge of getting to class, an internship, or a job interview is what stands between them and the future they've worked so hard to build," said Joe Provenzano, Director of Mobility, Ford Philanthropy. "By partnering with Last Mile Education Fund, we're putting Ford's mobility expertise to work to close that gap and help students reach the finish line."

Uber and the Rocket Community Foundation are providing additional support.

"Transportation is about more than getting from point A to point B—it's about accessing opportunity," said Joshua Cooper, Head of Culture at Uber. "We're proud to join this effort to ensure students can reach the classrooms, internships, and jobs that shape their futures."

"As the heart of America's mobility industry, Detroit understands how access to transportation shapes opportunity," said Marvin Logan, Director, Education and Employment, Rocket Community Fund. "Our work with Last Mile through the Detroit Area Talent Fund showed the importance of removing barriers for students and we're proud to support this initiative to broaden that impact."

The Transportation Access Fund is now live and will support students nationwide through Last Mile's rapid-response application model—students like Diana Balderas-Pedraza, now a Software Engineer at Northrop Grumman Corporation, for whom a critical car repair enabled her to persist to graduation and launch into a software engineering role in the aerospace industry.

"The Last Mile Fund provided more than financial assistance—it helped me repair my vehicle, ensuring I had reliable transportation to attend college, participate in academic opportunities, and stay focused on my educational goals. Having dependable transportation removed a significant barrier and gave me greater confidence in pursuing my future. I am deeply grateful for this support and the opportunities it has made possible."

Students can apply for transportation related support at www.lastmile-ed.org/apply.

The fund aims to raise $12M to support 7,700 students over three years. Companies and organizations focused on the transportation and mobility ecosystem are invited to join this high impact initiative. To learn more or explore partnership opportunities, visit www.lastmile-ed.org/transportation.

Media Contact:
Ruthe Farmer
Founder & CEO, Last Mile Education Fund
[email protected]

About Last Mile Education Fund
Last Mile Education Fund takes a bold, innovative approach to expanding economic mobility and workforce growth by closing financial gaps for students in their final stretch to graduation. By ensuring qualified students launch careers in tech and engineering, Last Mile strengthens the nation's talent pipeline and delivers measurable returns for industry and society. Learn more at www.lastmile-ed.org and follow @LastMileFund.

SOURCE Last Mile Education Fund