Page 6 - TMCF 2024 Annual Report

“Racquel Oden’s ascension to board chair affirms the Thurgood Marshall College Fund’s unwavering commitment to equity and leadership development. We are choosing to lead boldly. Her vision and influence will elevate our work to new heights.”
Dr. Harry L. Williams, President & CEO, TMCF
A DEFINING MOMENT
FOR THE THURGOOD MARSHALL COLLEGE FUND
The Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) has entered a chapter that honors its legacy while charting a powerful course for the future. On Jan. 4, 2024, the TMCF Board of Directors appointed Racquel Oden as its new chair, marking the first time in our history that a woman has held this role.
Founded to advance equity, opportunity and economic mobility for students attending the nation’s publicly supported historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and predominantly Black institutions (PBIs), this moment is historic and timely. The higher education landscape is shifting. Oden’s appointment is more than a milestone, it is a message.
“Racquel Oden’s ascension to board chair affirms the Thurgood Marshall College Fund’s unwavering commitment to equity and leadership development,” Dr. Harry L. Williams, TMCF president & CEO, said. “We are choosing to lead boldly. Her vision and influence will elevate our work to new heights.”
Oden brings more than two decades of financial sector leadership to the position. At HSBC Bank she manages complex national operations while championing diversity in the financial industry. A graduate of Hampton University, Oden understands deeply the transformative power of an HBCU education.
She also brings longstanding commitment: Oden has served on TMCF’s board for 16 years, offering strategic counsel and helping expand opportunities for the more than 300,000 students enrolled at TMCF member institutions.
“I have witnessed the life-changing impact of TMCF’s programs, from scholarships to leadership development and corporate pathways,” Oden said. “I am honored to build upon this legacy as the first woman to chair this board.”
TMCF was founded by Dr. N. Joyce Payne in 1987 to serve as a national resource for public HBCUs: institutions that were historically underfunded, overlooked and underrepresented.
That legacy remains at the heart of the mission. As debates swirl about the value of diversity initiatives and the role of public education, TMCF is committed to championing equity, expanding opportunity and preparing the next generation of Black leaders.
As the discourse on equity evolves, TMCF is committed to ensuring that public HBCUs remain prominent and powerful. Oden’s leadership is part of a broader strategy to strengthen partnerships, expand resources and create transformative pathways for TMCF students.
Her appointment is a celebration of progress and a strategic decision for the years ahead.
“With Racquel Oden as board chair, we are positioning ourselves and our institutions to meet this moment with strength, clarity and purpose,” Dr. Williams said.
6 2024 ANNUAL REPORT