ORAU, TMCF Partner to Further STEM Research Opportunities at HBCUs April 6, 2019

July 22, 2019

The Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) has recently partnered with Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU) to further student and faculty opportunities in STEM research at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs).

This partnership, which officially began with the signing of a memorandum of understand on March 29, will strive to provide resources to those schools to encourage faculty and student STEM research.

ORAU is a consortium that effectively connects the most diverse and talented students, recent graduates, faculty members and professionals with mentored research experiences at national laboratories and other facilities.

“This is a historic day for us,” said Dr. N. Joyce Payne, founder of TMCF. “We’ve not had the opportunity to operate at this level in terms of an organization that has so much prestige as ORAU. ORAU has been in the business for 75 years, and has been changing the world, producing the kind of research that makes life easier and more prosperous for Americans. We hope to bring talent to this process and find ways to collaborate so we can continue to change the world as ORAU has done.”

Under this partnership, students and faculty at TMCF member schools will have the ability to be involved in ORAU’s research participation programs that are mainly administered by the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, managed by ORAU.

“Our pursuit of enhancing research participation programs and creating change in young students’ lives is not a challenge we can do alone,” said ORAU president and CEO Andy Page. “We’re always seeking like-minded organizations that are in the same pursuit as we are.”

by Monica Levitan of DIVERSE: Issue in Higher Education.

Related News

TM² Executive Search team member spoke at a national culture conference

A team member of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) executive search firm, TM² Executive Search (TM²), served as a panelist recently at a national culture conference.  Dr. Will Anyu, associate principal and search consultant at TM², represented the firm at the Hunt Scanlon Culture Awards Forum at the Harvard Club of New York City.  […]

Thurgood Marshall College Fund scholar continues his studies after receiving a hardship scholarship

A Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) scholar continued his studies at TMCF member school Howard University (Howard) thanks to a hardship scholarship.  Mason Bilgen, a civil engineering major at Howard, said the TMCF | JPMorgan Chase Hardship Scholarship was critical to his education.  “Receiving this scholarship has truly been a blessing and allowed me to […]

Thurgood Marshall College Fund named a top workplace by the Washington Post

The Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) joined an elite group of organizations after it was recently named as one of the 2025 Washington Top Workplaces by the Washington Post. Top workplace awards are based on employee feedback gathered through an employee survey, creating a credible and authentic recognition program for employers.  “We strive to hire […]