Thurgood Marshall College Fund president received the Unsung Hero award at the Orange Blossom Classic 

September 2, 2025

The president & CEO of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) received the Unsung Hero award during the Orange Blossom Classic in Miami Gardens, Florida. Dr. Harry L. Williams, TMCF president & CEO, accepted the honor and provided remarks. 

He noted how historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) created the Black middle class and without these institutions, there would be no Black doctors, lawyers, scientists, engineers and more.  

“As an organization that advocates for and supports historically Black colleges and universities and the students who attend them, we see the need for scholarship dollars every day,” Dr. Williams said. “During our most recent scholarship cycle, we’ve awarded more than $21 million to approximately 3,000 students.” 

Dr. Williams said he was honored to have a role in keeping that legacy going. 

“As I accept this award, I want to share how genuinely excited I am to lead an organization like the Thurgood Marshall College Fund,” he said. “Every single day, I get to witness lives being changed. I see students who, because of scholarships, internships and mentorships, can achieve their dreams. I see families who swell with pride as the first in their household crosses the graduation stage.”
This year’s Orange Blossom Classic features the teams that played in the inaugural game in 1933, Howard University and Florida A&M University, both TMCF member schools.

Related News

Third-annual Black Thriving in America report dives deep into Black life experiences

A new report examines the wellbeing of Black Americans through decades of research and surveys. “Black Thriving in America: 2025” is a product of Thurgood Marshall College Fund’s (TMCF) Dr. N. Joyce Payne Research Center (Payne Center) partnership with the Gallup Center on Black Voices. The report officially releases on Tuesday, Sept. 23 at 1 […]

Thurgood Marshall College Fund selects new chief development officer 

The Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) recently selected a new chief development officer after a national search.  Jonathan Sandville, who most recently served as a commissioner of the Legal Services Trust Fund Commission at the State Bar of California, will lead development activities at TMCF.  “After a comprehensive nationwide search, I’m delighted to welcome Jonathan […]

Thurgood Marshall College Fund partners with Google  to offer no-cost cloud and AI training to HBCU students 

The Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) is partnering with Google to  bring its popular Google Career Launchpad program to students at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), historically Black community colleges (HBCCs) and predominantly Black institutions (PBIs)  to help them develop in-demand cloud computing and generative AI skills.  “This is a phenomenal opportunity for our […]