Washington D.C., Feb. 22, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- What do a former UNCF (United Negro College Fund)-member Spelman College president, former U.S. Secretary of Education and corporate giants Colgate Palmolive and Ralph Lauren have in common?
They join several celebrities, dignitaries, government officials, civic leaders, corporate executives and others who will be honored for their support of UNCF and students attending historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) during UNCF’s version of “March Madness.”
Each year, UNCF presents its own version of “March Madness,” as local communities and cities conduct glamorous masked balls and galas throughout the month to help students realize their dreams of a college education via HBCUs and many other colleges and universities across the United States.
At the 2023 UNCF National “A Mind is…”® Gala on March 2 in Washington, DC,
this year’s President’s Award will be presented to Dr. Johnetta Cole, former president of UNCF-member institutions Spelman College and Bennett College.
Richard Riley, former secretary of the U.S. Department of Education, will be honored at UNCF Upstate Mayors’ Masked Ball on March 4 in Greenville, SC.
Corporate giants Colgate Palmolive Co., and Ralph Lauren Corporation will receive awards at the UNCF “A Mind is…”® Gala on March 23 in New York.
Events like these are premier UNCF fundraising and social events, focusing on raising public awareness of the importance of supporting deserving student, many of whom are first-generation and come from low-income communities.
The events generate large corporate and individual donations to help UNCF-supported students meet the expenses of earning a college degree. Hosted by a diverse group of corporate sponsors and local businesses, the events feature celebrity entertainment and awards are presented to individuals and organizations who support UNCF’s mission of investing in better futures for this nation by empowering students to get to and through college.
To learn more about UNCF’s “March Madness,” visit UNCF.org/events.
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About UNCF
UNCF (United Negro College Fund) is the nation’s largest and most effective minority education organization. To serve youth, the community and the nation, UNCF supports students’ education and development through scholarships and other programs, supports and strengthens its 37 member colleges and universities, and advocates for the importance of minority education and college readiness. While totaling only 3% of all colleges and universities, UNCF institutions and other historically Black colleges and universities are highly effective, awarding 15% of bachelor’s degrees, 5% of master’s degrees, 10% of doctoral degrees and 19% of all STEM degrees earned by Black students in higher education. UNCF administers more than 400 programs, including scholarship, internship and fellowship, mentoring, summer enrichment, and curriculum and faculty development programs. Today, UNCF supports more than 60,000 students at over 1,100 colleges and universities across the country. Its logo features the UNCF torch of leadership in education and its widely recognized trademark, ‟A mind is a terrible thing to waste.”® Learn more at UNCF.org or for continuous updates and news, follow UNCF on Twitter at @UNCF.
