This summer has been an impactful one for Dr. Harry L. Williams, president & CEO of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF).
Beginning in June, Dr. Williams started a summer of engaging with high school and college students, philanthropists, friends and supporters of TMCF, and HBCU officials.
In St. Louis, he provided remarks to members of Boeing Cohort 5, reminding graduates that they earned the right to be in the room. Many of the students received full-time job offers from Boeing.
Later in the month, TMCF hosted its first Impact Now event in Houston. Dr. Williams was in attendance to provide remarks and meet with friends and prospective supporters of the organization.
At the end of June, Dr. Williams participated in a Thrive Leaders Network event in Portland, Oregon. Last fall, he joined the network with 15 other Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) higher education and postsecondary nonprofit executives from across the country in the cohort.
In July, Dr. Williams provided keynote remarks at the HBCU Philanthropy Symposium, while also announcing the transfer of leadership of the conference to TMCF.
“This is not just a transfer of leadership—it’s a call to action,” Dr. Williams said in the press release. “HBCUs have always done more with less. But this moment demands that we do more with more. This symposium is the training ground and launching pad for that future.”
Dr. Williams has spoken to hundreds of high school students this summer through the TMCF Seeking, Observing and Achieving Results (SOAR) program. The SOAR program is for high school juniors and seniors that provides exposure to postsecondary opportunities and ensures a successful transition to college.
“It’s so important that these students see the possibility of attending college, the importance of completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the importance of having a plan after completing high school,” Dr. Williams said.
SOAR is scheduled to take place on 10 campuses between early June and Aug. 1. Campuses included Texas Southern University, Alabama State University, Trenholm State Community College, Virginia State University, Alabama A&M University, Drake State Community & Technical College, Grambling State University, North Carolina Central University, Hinds Community College – Utica, Shelton State Community College, Lawson State Community College and Fayetteville State University. Some events incorporated two campuses.
The Brunch in the Hamptons event brought together TMCF supporters in Sag Harbor, New York at TMCF Board of Directors Chair Racquel Oden’s private residence. Dr. Williams was on hand to provide remarks and spend time with TMCF advocates and prospective friends at the stunning location in the Hamptons.
TMCF and Dr. Williams will return to the northeastern coast in August for the Martha’s Vineyard Golf Classic and Luncheon at Farm Neck Golf Club.
“We’re proud to host this new event in a location as beautiful as Martha’s Vineyard and the Farm Neck Golf Club,” Dr. Williams said.
Dr. Williams will speak to The Hunt Institute’s Hunt-Kean Leadership Fellows in San Diego in a session titled “Filling In-Demand Jobs Through Career Readiness Education.”
“It’s an honor to engage with political leaders from across the country to share about the incredible work we do at the Thurgood Marshall College Fund,” Dr. Williams said.
Also in August, as the fall semester approaches, Dr. Williams is scheduled to provide remarks to the faculty and staff of both Fort Valley State University and Winston-Salem State University.
“It’s always an honor to speak with the faculty and staff at our member schools,” Dr. Williams said. “They make an impact in the lives of so many of our students and are the reason our schools provide such an inclusive experience.”
