The Emma Kumley Scholarship
In recognition of Emma Kumley and her lifelong commitment to opening doors within the Fitness Industry, the program will offer
A full-tuition scholarship each year to a student from the global majority or another historically underrepresented community.
Emma has been an important mentor, teacher, and friend of mine and the reason I had the opportunity to pursue this path. Her belief in making the method more accessible to people who have historically been left outside of its inner circles is something we want to carry forward.
The Pilates industry has recently lacked racial and cultural representation, despite a lineage that has been shaped by teachers trained by Joseph Pilates himself. Women such as Kathy Grant and Lolita San Miguel, expanded, preserved, and carried the work forward in ways that are essential to understanding Pilates today.
The Emma Kumley Scholarship is an effort to continue that tradition of opening doors.
In that way, the scholarship is both a thank-you to Emma and a continuation of what she has modeled: learn the work, honor those who came before us, and make the path wider for those coming next.