Page 4 - TMCF CEO Impact Awards New York 2025

Thurgood Marshall College Fund
901 F Street, NW, Suite 700, Washington, DC 20004 Phone: 202.507.4851 Fax: 202.652.2934
Greetings and welcome to the Thurgood Marshall College Fund CEO Impact Award event in New York. We are thrilled you could join us here to celebrate deserving individuals making an impact in our society.
First and foremost, I must express gratitude to Racquel Oden, the host committee chair and chair of the Board of Directors of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, and Rich Kushel, the co-chair, and committee members Jeff Hurd, Kim Davis and Tatia Williams on behalf of our founder, board and members of TMCF. Because of their efforts, we’re able to gather together and honor a noteworthy and accomplished role model.
We’re honored to recognize Adebayo Ogunlesi
today with the prestigious Thurgood Marshall CEO Impact Award. His significant accomplishments and contributions to society have helped permanently improve the lives of students across the country. Please join me in congratulating Bayo and thanking him for his hospitality and contributions. We are also thrilled to honor and recognize Equitable & AB’s Spotlighting Bright Futures, the first recipient of the Legacy of Impact Award.
I must also express my appreciation to BlackRock for their support and hospitality in hosting us here tonight. Choosing this location was intentional, as BlackRock
and each of you have long championed the importance of higher education and the Black college community, understanding the transformational power of each.
Finally, I thank each of you for attending and knowing the importance of financially supporting HBCUs, PBIs and HBCCs and their students. It’s no secret that these institutions have been historically underfunded by hundreds of millions to billions of dollars over
the last three decades. Despite that, we also know
that these institutions improve student outcomes by
a larger margin than many schools. While what has been achieved with less is admirable, imagine what an even playing field might yield. Help us to continue to support these students with your gift today by visiting https://www.tmcf.org/online-gift/.
Thank you all for joining us today in our efforts to remove barriers for the Black college community and community at-large.
Sincerely,
Dr. Harry L. Williams President & CEO
Email: info@tmcf.org
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