Jermaine Somerset is the Executive Director of the Fred Somerset Memorial Scholarship Program and a 1991 graduate of Farrell High School, where he excelled both academically and athletically, graduating with honors. Jermaine attended Arkansas State University in Jonesboro, Arkansas, majoring in Political Science while playing football. He decided to leave college early to pursue his dream of playing in the NFL. After several failed attempts to make the 53-man roster of an NFL team, he shifted his passion from football to helping others.

 In 1993, Jermaine became a financial advisor with American General Life Insurance Company in New Castle, Pennsylvania, where he focused on assisting residents of underserved communities in Allegheny, Lawrence, and Mercer Counties. He taught budgeting, savings, investments, and the importance of life insurance as a tool for generational wealth. In 1994, Jermaine moved back to Brooklyn, New York, to continue his career as a financial advisor with Washington D.C.-based financial firm Waddell & Reed. There, he played a key role in helping employees of MTV transition their company stock and retirement plans to individual retirement accounts after Viacom’s acquisition.

 In 1995, Jermaine relocated to Washington D.C., continuing his career with Waddell & Reed. That summer, he returned to Farrell to take his grandfather, Fred Somerset, back to his birthplace of Little Rock, South Carolina, near Dillon, to visit family members. During this trip, Jermaine discovered that his grandfather had not seen his relatives in more than 60 years after migrating north to escape the inhumane Jim Crow laws of the South. This trip left a lasting impact on Jermaine, and in 1996, after Grandpa Fred’s passing, Jermaine founded the Fred Somerset Memorial Scholarship Program. Initially created to provide scholarships to deserving and disadvantaged students, the program later expanded its focus to fostering positive family and community development in underserved areas. The program’s inspiration comes from Grandpa Fred’s favorite quote: “Your wealth will not be measured by how much money you have; your wealth will be measured by how many lives you touch,” which also served as the foundation for the Legacy Cultural Project.

 After his career as a financial advisor, Jermaine pivoted to the emerging tech industry during the tech boom of the late 1990s. He enrolled in Northern Virginia Community College to study Information Technology, which enabled him to support the scholarship program. Over the next 26 years, Jermaine built a successful career as an IT professional, working with the Department of Defense and various intelligence agencies, including the Pentagon, Defense Threat Reduction Agency, TSA, Homeland Security, National Geospatial Intelligence Agency, National Reconnaissance Office, and the Defense Intelligence Agency. He served under five presidents and seven secretaries of defense.

 Today, Jermaine dedicates his time as the Executive Director of the Fred Somerset Memorial Scholarship Program. He enjoys traveling to experience and learn about new cultures and always with a special appreciation for the local food! With an emphasis on the food!!!