Mensa Foundation

The best solutions usually come from people closest to the problem. The 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲 invites you to advance something that matters to you.

Participants bring forward real-world problems tied to their communities, workplaces, schools, or personal passions, then refine their ideas through feedback, collaboration, and practical planning.

Open to Mensa members and non-members. Registration for the Annual Gathering is required to participate.

Not every idea needs to start big. It just needs to matter to you. Meaningful change often begins when thoughtful people decide to engage deeply with the world around them.

𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗰𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗝𝘂𝗻𝗲 𝟱, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲.
Learn more and apply: mensafoundation.org/events/the-challenge/

📝 What does the future look like through the eyes of 33,000 students?

Every year, the Mensa Foundation's judges read scholarship essays full of dreams and plans. And this year, they noticed something beautiful: Young people are more specific, more pragmatic, and more prepared than ever.

The secret to a winning essay? Lead with your goal. Back it up with real steps you're already taking. Be authentic.

From engineering to medicine to bioengineering, today's generation is ready to shape tomorrow. 🌟 And that gives us hope.

Read more: https://ow.ly/Uebv50YXTrj

𝗛𝗘𝗟𝗣 𝗦𝗛𝗔𝗣𝗘 𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧'𝗦 𝗡𝗘𝗫𝗧

We’re exploring the Mensa Foundation Network — a new online space for gifted adults, families, and professionals — and we want your input before we build it. Take a short 10-minute survey to share what’s useful, what’s missing, and what would be worth your time.
📢 Professionals who support gifted clients: We need your perspectives.

No membership required. Open for one month, with results to follow. 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝘃𝗲𝘆. mensafoundation.org/help-shape-the-mensa-foundation-network/

𝗠𝗜𝗟𝗘-𝗛𝗜𝗚𝗛 𝗠𝗜𝗡𝗗𝗦, 𝗠𝗜𝗦𝗦𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗜𝗡 𝗠𝗢𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡

At the Mensa Foundation Retreat in Denver, we had the privilege of celebrating the incredible people whose generosity, leadership, and service continue to move our mission forward. ❤️

During the Foundation’s first-ever Spring Reception, we recognized a remarkable group of supporters and volunteers who are helping us rethink intelligence, build community, and create meaningful impact for gifted and neurodivergent individuals everywhere.

As Foundation Director Jill Beckham shared:

“Having the opportunity to recognize and celebrate the amazing supporters of the Mensa Foundation at our first-ever Spring Reception brought me tremendous joy. It is because of these dedicated individuals that our mission continues to grow and thrive.”

We are deeply grateful to honor:

✨ Tim Winkelman — scholarship leader serving the Denver and Boulder local groups and the regional scholarship program
✨ Emmaly Perks — helping build a network connecting gifted adults, professionals, and scholars
✨ George Cooper — longtime volunteer scholarship judge and dedicated supporter
✨ Alex Tamayo — whose generosity continues to advance the Foundation’s mission
✨ Beth Anne Demeter — longtime donor and Foundation awards committee chair
✨ Tommy Ryan — passionate ambassador and generous supporter of the Foundation
✨ Joi Lin (not pictured) — founder of the Foundation’s speaker series, chair of the Education & Gifted Youth Committee, and dedicated donor

These individuals remind us that lasting impact happens because people choose to invest their time, talents, and resources into others.

Thank you for helping unleash intelligence for the benefit of humanity. 🌟

📢 NEW ARTICLE ALERT

Parenting at the Speed of Trust: Building Belonging and Wellbeing When Words Get in the Way

What happens when words aren't enough? This new piece explores how to build connection and trust with your gifted child—even when communication feels hard.

🔗 Read more: https://sengifted.org/parenting-at-the-speed-of-trust-building-belonging-and-wellbeing-when-words-get-in-there-way/

New from our 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 Newsletter

𝗙𝗥𝗘𝗘 𝗕𝗥𝗔𝗜𝗡 𝗘𝗗 𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗢𝗨𝗥𝗖𝗘𝗦 𝗙𝗥𝗢𝗠 𝗡𝗜𝗛: The NIH's National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke offers a free, one-stop shop for brain education, packed with hands-on activities, videos, and resources for students and teachers from kindergarten through college. (Resource) https://ow.ly/9ox350YBTMU

and Subscribe to 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀: https://ow.ly/IXCf50YBTMK

New from our 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 Newsletter

𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗟 𝗧𝗔𝗟𝗞 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗡𝗘𝗨𝗥𝗢𝗗𝗜𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗚𝗘𝗡𝗧 𝗣𝗔𝗥𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗦: The Neurodiversity Practice is a hub of expert-led webinars and training for neurodivergent parents and the practitioners who support them. From managing meltdowns to navigating couple relationships to preventing burnout, their monthly sessions — led by clinical psychologists with both professional expertise and lived experience — meet you exactly where you are. Because parenting is hard enough. Parenting while neurodivergent deserves its own conversation. (Webinar) https://ow.ly/HabX50YBSYZ

and Subscribe to 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀: https://ow.ly/7wVM50YBSWM

New from our 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 Newsletter
𝗣𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗦 𝗣𝗟𝗔𝗬 𝗢𝗡 𝗕𝗘𝗧𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝗕𝗥𝗔𝗜𝗡 𝗛𝗘𝗔𝗟𝗧𝗛: From the gut-brain connection to memory, cognitive aging, mental fitness, and the everyday choices that shape your neurological future, each episode is packed with insights from leading voices in neurology, nutrition, and neuroscience. (Podcast)

https://ow.ly/59fu50YBSw6

and Subscribe to 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀: https://ow.ly/iGs950YBSvx

We’re proud to share a reflection from one of our own, Nguyen Pham, President of the Mensa Foundation Board of Trustees, following his recent trip to Mensa Brasil’s first International Congress on Mental Health.

The Mensa Foundation was honored to serve as a lead sponsor of this inaugural event. Our Unmet Needs Study showed just how urgently mental health support is needed within our community, and this congress created a valuable space for learning, dialogue, and connection across borders.

Showing up in spaces like this matters to us. It not only helps humanize our work, but keeps us in community with the people we serve and deepens our understanding of the lived experiences that shape well-being.

We believe strong mental health is essential to helping gifted and neurodivergent individuals, and all people, fully engage their abilities and thrive throughout life.

In his reflection, Nguyen shares what he experienced, what he learned, and why moments like this matter. mensafoundation.org/from-the-president-brazil-reflection/