One Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) scholar attending the Workforce Development Summit recently graduated from high school and will finish his associate degree in January thanks to dual enrollment courses.
Miles Fullilove, a sophomore at Trenholm State Community College, will begin his second degree in computer information systems upon earning his associate degree. Fullilove will also complete the math and science prerequisites to transfer to a top 20 university and major in mechanical engineering.
“My love for STEM started in pre-K4,” he said. “I was the kid taking apart thermostats, vacuum cleaners and wristwatches just to see how they worked, and then putting them back together. That same curiosity now fuels my desire to build and protect the systems that run our world—both physical and digital.”
Fullilove said he was inspired to attend the summit because he is at a pivotal moment in his journey and wants to be in the rooms that actually change futures.
“Because TMCF has shifted trajectories for students like Grace Ogunmodede and Marcus McClean showed me that organizations like this don’t just give out opportunities, it expands what you believe is possible,” he said. “The summit appears to be the right place to learn how to tell my story, sharpen my skills and connect my early progress to real pathways in tech and engineering.”
Clarity, connections and confidence are three things he hopes to gain from the conference. Fullilove said he wants to clarify his resume and elevator pitch for potential employers; connect with recruiters, mentors and scholarship programs; and gain confidence from practicing interview skills and seeing that there is real space for students from historically Black community colleges (HBCCs) to compete and excel.
“I plan to use everything I learn,” Fullilove said. “Whether it be from resume strategies to networking tips to pursuing internships, scholarships like those from the Cal & Annette Johnson Scholarship Foundation, and future TMCF opportunities such as Leadership Institute. My ultimate goal is not only to build a strong career in cybersecurity and mechanical engineering, but to turn my journey into proof for others that your starting point does not limit your destiny or potential.”
Fullilove is proud of the experience he’s having at Trenholm State.
“My HBCC is not just giving me credit hours, it is giving me confidence, context and community, all of which I will carry into the workforce and beyond,” he said. “I’m grateful for Dr. N. Joyce Payne, founder of TMCF, for intentionally creating spaces for historically Black community college students. Often, the spotlight goes to four-year campuses, but this summit tells me that the pipeline truly begins where I am now.”
He said his HBCC background is a launchpad, not a limitation.
“Like the TMCF scholars whose stories I have read, I am determined to turn opportunity into impact: to build a strong technical career, to earn scholarships and to use my trajectory to show other students that they can start where they are and still aim for the highest levels of achievement,” Fullilove said. “I aspire to follow a path similar to the TMCF scholars I admire by using my education not just for personal success, but to mentor, teach and eventually create opportunities for others.”
