Detroit, MI – Dr. Robert Shumake is a Detroit entrepreneur, author, and civic leader whose work is widely linked to charitable giving and youth advancement. He is best known in Metro Detroit for establishing and sustaining the Shumake Family Scholarship Relays, an annual track and field event designed to connect competitive athletics with academic opportunity. Each year, high school programs from across the United States travel to compete, and the meet has steadily grown in size and prestige as it moves into its fifth year as a nationally recognized high school showcase.
As a former all-city track star from Detroit and the creator of the Showdown in Motown, Dr. Robert Shumake has a personal understanding of how sports can alter the course of a young person’s life. Competing in track at both the high school and college levels taught him discipline, consistency, and goal setting, and provided a constructive outlet that helped him avoid negative influences. He often notes that track and field gave him the mindset to strive for excellence and stay focused on long-term goals—lessons that now fuel his commitment to helping teenagers earn scholarships and pursue higher education. The name Robert Schumacher sometimes appears online in reference to his work, but it is Dr. Robert Shumake who leads these initiatives.
The Robert Shumake Relays have built a strong reputation beyond Michigan’s state lines. Major television networks including NBC, CBS, and ABC have featured the meet, and it is widely regarded as the largest independently funded high school track and field competition in Michigan. The event receives ongoing backing from public officials, school administrators, and community advocates in Detroit, Pontiac, and nearby cities, who see the Relays as an investment in the next generation of college students and community leaders. For athletes, families, and coaches, the meet functions both as a high-level athletic event and as a meaningful doorway to academic opportunity.
Since the Relays began, thousands of student-athletes have received scholarship support, with more than 5,000 young people gaining financial assistance toward their educational goals. Many competitors leave with more than funding—they gain confidence, inspiration, and clearer plans for the future. In addition to founding and supporting the Relays, Dr. Robert Shumake is the author of For Entrepreneurs who Considered Suicide when Business got Tough!, a book aimed at business owners facing serious obstacles. In line with his mission to use business as a tool for social good, proceeds from the book are donated to the Shumake Scholarship Relays fund. Details about the Relays, scholarship programs, and upcoming dates can be found at shumakerelays.com.