Arianna Stewart, a sophomore marketing major at Howard University, already has her sights set on becoming a chief marketing officer at a Fortune 500 company. While many first- and second-year students are just beginning to explore their interests, Stewart has distinguished herself through an extraordinary level of involvement with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF).
Stewart has already participated in an extensive list of TMCF programs. Since her freshman year, she has participated in the Citi HBCU Immersion, DevCon, Capital One Immersion, Verizon HBCU Immersion, CBRE Immersion and was selected as a Lowe’s Scholar for 2025.
She first discovered TMCF during her freshman year after noticing the excitement surrounding DevCon.
“Initially, when I learned about DevCon, I wanted to gain access to companies, network and connect with peers across the nation,” she said. “I never had that in high school and wanted to build my network in a bigger space.”
Since then, Stewart has fully embraced every opportunity available to her.
“The biggest thing I’ve taken away from TMCF events so far is the community,” Stewart said. “I love the program managers. I learned so much in fields I had never explored before. They helped me strengthen my analytical thinking, and I gained firsthand experience. I built real connections with my peers. It’s been such a growing experience.”
Stewart’s drive to learn and step outside her comfort zone has been a defining factor in her success. She consistently seeks out new experiences and refuses to let perceived barriers hold her back. Even as a freshman, she applied for competitive opportunities she believed would likely be filled with upperclassmen.
Her message to other students is simple: Don’t limit yourself.
She emphasized that TMCF offers opportunities to sharpen skills across a wide range of interests, regardless of major, and encouraged students to remain curious and committed to growth.
With her ambition, initiative and already impressive resume, Stewart is not just preparing for the future. She is actively building it.
