The Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) Board of Directors recently recognized its founding director at its board retreat.
Dr. N. Joyce Payne, founder of TMCF, was presented with the inaugural Dr. N. Joyce Payne Trailblazer Award by board chairwoman Racquel Oden for her lifetime commitment to advancing education and empowering women. The award will be presented in her name to celebrate exceptional women leaders impacting their communities and beyond.
“I’m incredibly moved to receive such an honor,” Dr. Payne said. “That it came from one woman, our first chairwoman of the board, to another means so much. Continue doing incredible work and impacting the world.”
In other key presentations during the retreat, the board:
● Heard about the state of HBCUs from Dr. Tony Allen, president of Delaware State University and chair of the U.S. President’s Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities
● Listened about how partnering with Business Roundtable from Dane Linn (senior vice president of corporate initiatives), Jonay Holkins (senior director of policy and corporate initiatives) and Matthew Spikes (senior director of government relations) benefits our students and member schools
● Reviewed financial performance with external auditors Rogers & Co.
During its spring meeting on May 9, the board elected new members: Machell W. Mims (senior vice president of human resources at Lowe’s), Byna Elliott (global head of Advancing Black Pathways for JPMorgan Chase) and Mark A. Nelson (vice chairman of Chevron). The new directors provide a wealth of experience and perspectives across a wide variety of sectors.
Dr. Payne was conferred status of director emeritus of the board after stepping down as a director of the board. She served in the role since the organization’s inception.
Oden, having accepted the chair role in January, provided the chairwoman’s report. She said during her 16 years of board service at TMCF she made a concerted effort to keep close contact with the organization, attend programming and spend valuable time with students. Oden also recently spent time with members of the TMCF ambassador program, who represent the organization on each campus as a peer-to-peer representative. She encouraged board members to provide their full engagement and presence to help TMCF deliver on its ambitious goals.
TMCF President Dr. Harry L. Williams provided the president’s report. During his report, Dr. Williams introduced the upcoming inaugural CEO Impact Award Breakfast in Charlotte, North Carolina on June 13 at the Lowe’s Tech Hub, honoring Lowe’s Marvin R. Ellison, chairman and chief executive officer. The regional event is the first in a series that will elevate the TMCF brand and raise scholarship funding. Dr. Williams also introduced the new chief marketing and communications officer, Dr. Clara Ross Stamps, who brings more than 30 years of experience in tourism and higher education as an executive, marketer and educator. Finally, Dr. Williams discussed the all-staff meeting in March.
“It was wonderful to bring staff together in Washington, D.C.,” Dr. Williams said. “We were able to have robust conversations about our new strategic focus, as well as our key performance indicator development and planning processes.”
In other action items, the board:
● Passed a resolution to create a standing marketing committee;
● Passed a resolution to grant TMCF membership to Denmark Technical College
● Passed a resolution to grant Charles Merinoff chairman emeritus status. Merinoff served as board chair from 2019 to 2023.
About the Thurgood Marshall College Fund
Established in 1987, the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) is the nation’s largest organization exclusively representing the Black College Community. TMCF member schools include the publicly supported Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Historically Black Community Colleges and Predominantly Black Institutions, enrolling nearly 80% of all students attending Black colleges and universities. Through scholarships, capacity building and research initiatives, innovative programs, and strategic partnerships, TMCF is a vital resource in the K-12 and higher education space. The organization is also the source of top employers seeking top talent for competitive internships and good jobs. TMCF is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt, charitable organization. For more information about TMCF, visit www.tmcf.org.
