Irving A. Fradkin (March 28, 1921 – November 19, 2016) was an optometrist and founder and president emeritus of Scholarship America.

[6] Fradkin ran for the Fall River school committee in 1957 on a platform calling for community-supported scholarships for local students.

National press attention from publications such as Time, Reader's Digest and Saturday Review provided credibility and awareness for the organization.

Select awards include: In September 2012, CNNMoney cited Fradkin as a pioneer in making higher education affordable as part of its Money Heroes series.

[3] Fradkin reappeared on Katie in May 2014, along with Scholarship America President & CEO Lauren Segal, as part of the organization's inaugural Dream Award recipient announcement.