The 24th-annual Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) Leadership Institute concluded on Sept. 14 at the Marriott Marquis Washington D.C. after four days of best-in-class programming and opportunities for students from the nation’s historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). The NPHC All-Stars opened the ceremony, setting the tone with energy and a tribute to the Divine Nine. Dr. Harry L. Williams, president & CEO of TMCF, gave concluding remarks to students at the closing ceremony.
“Thank you to all the amazing students who attended our leadership conference,” Dr. Williams said. “You guys have showed out in a positive way. I’ve been watching the entire week. Your professionalism is at the highest I’ve ever seen.”
He encouraged students not to take the easy assignments in their lives and careers, noting the difficult assignments will push them to grow and prepare them to thrive.
“Our namesake wasn’t afraid of hard assignments,” Dr. Williams said. “By being engaged this week, you’ve shown you’re not afraid of hard assignments.” Dr. N. Joyce Payne, TMCF’s founder, reminded the students about the importance of mentorship.
“Remember that as you move through this journey of professional development, know that you have mentors out there who would like to help you, who are willing to provide their time,” she said.
Brandon Smith, a Leadership Institute alumnus and global security and investigations associate at Fidelity Investments, shared his story with the students. Through TMCF, he completed internships at Apple through the Apple HBCU Scholars program, beginning a journey he had not anticipated.
“Through this experience, I was introduced to the world of corporate security and the immense power of networking,” Smith said. He completed another internship at JPMorganChase in Dallas, also through TMCF, and participated in the Las Vegas Sands hospitality immersion. Through those experiences and connections he made through TMCF programming, he secured a full-time role with Fidelity.
“Once you get connected, stay connected,” Smith said. “This principle is not just a professional strategy but a life philosophy.” He encouraged students to join the TMCF alumni professional network to stay connected. TMCF also brought out a surprise guest, actress and Grammy-winner Coco Jones, who spoke about her career, the importance of hard work and leaving a legacy of authenticity.
“If you’re willing to go the distance, if you’re willing to hustle, if you’re willing to sacrifice, then people will align with you because you just drop dead weight and that leaves space open for more aligned people to come into your orbit,” Jones said.
To conclude the ceremony, graduating seniors were presented with TMCF stoles for commencement, closing out Leadership Institute until next year.
