Jalen Travis serves on the board of the National Education Opportunity Network. Jalen is a Minneapolis native and current offensive lineman for the Indianapolis Colts, has built a career defined by leadership, education, and service. Beyond the field, Jalen is deeply committed to empowering young people and strengthening community relationships.
After graduating from De La Salle high school in Minneapolis, Jalen co-founded the Just Action Coalition, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to giving youth a voice in shaping public safety and policy reform. The organization worked directly with the Minnesota Legislature and the Police Officers Standards and Training Board to bring greater transparency and accountability to law enforcement practices across the state.
Jalen went on to graduate from Princeton University, where he studied Legal and Political Anthropology with a minor in African American Studies. During his time there, he led multiple student advocacy organizations, wrote for The Daily Princetonian, and served on Princeton’s Board for Community Engaged Scholarship — consistently using his platform to bridge institutions and the communities they impact.
His leadership and commitment to service have earned him national recognition, including the Harry S. Truman Scholarship for Public Service (MN ’23) and the 2024 John Wooden Citizenship Cup, one of the nation’s highest honors for character, academics, and athletic achievement.
Now as a professional athlete, Jalen has spent much of his off season working to further establish himself within his community at the intersection of education, civic engagement, and leadership. He has since founded his own organization, Next is Now, which believes that the next generation of leaders are already in the room and exists to give them the right tools, mentors, or opportunities to fully realize what they’re capable of.