Carson Scholars Fund, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1994 by world renowned pediatric neurosurgeon Dr. Ben Carson and his wife, Candy. CSF seeks to combat the American education crisis by discovering promise and rewarding excellence in our nation’s youth through our Scholarship and Reading Room programs.

 

Benjamin S. Carson, Sr., M.D., had a childhood dream of becoming a physician. Growing up in a single parent home with dire poverty, poor grades, a horrible temper, and low self-esteem appeared to preclude the realization of that dream until his mother, with only a third-grade education, challenged her sons to strive for excellence. Young Ben persevered and emerged to be emeritus professor of neurosurgery, oncology, plastic surgery, and pediatrics at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, and he has directed pediatric neurosurgery at the Johns Hopkins Children’s Center for over 39 years. He became the inaugural recipient of a professorship dedicated in his name in May, 2008. He is now the Emeritus Benjamin S. Carson, Sr., M.D. and Dr. Evelyn Spiro, R.N. Professor of Pediatric Neurosurgery, having retired on June 30, 2013.

On March 2, 2017, Dr. Carson was confirmed by the United States Senate as the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development in a 58–41 vote.