Washington, DC, Feb. 14, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) salutes 43 students from its member-schools, public Historical Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), who were selected as the 2014 White House HBCU All-Stars, announced TMCF President & CEO Johnny C. Taylor, Jr.
The White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities (WHIHBCU) announced on Monday its first class of HBCU All-Stars, recognizing 75 undergraduate, graduate and professional students, currently enrolled at HBCUs for their accomplishments in academics, leadership and civic engagement. According to a release from the White House, the All-Stars were selected from 445 students who submitted completed applications that included a transcript, resume, essay and recommendations. This group of talented HBCU students will partner with the WHIHBCU in advancing President Obama's college completion goal.
"We are so proud of our member-schools and their students," said TMCF Chairman of the Board, Jim Clifton. "These scholars are living proof of why higher education is such a good investment in building future leaders of tomorrow."
The HBCU All-Stars will serve as ambassadors of the White House Initiative by providing outreach and communication with their fellow students about the value of education. The Initiative will serve as a networking resource for the students to participate in regional events and webinars with WHIHBCU staff and other professionals from various disciplines. The All-Stars will share, through social media and their various relationships, their experiences and best practices with students across the country who are seeking to achieve their college dreams. In the release, WHIHBCU executive director George Cooper said, "These 75 students have demonstrated a commitment to both their own academic achievement and making a difference in their communities."
"This opportunity is a great way to build peer to peer engagement and motivation amongst students on our HBCU campuses," said Taylor. "With 80% of all students attending HBCUs being on public HBCU campuses, I was overjoyed to see over 50% of the first class of the HBCU All-Stars come from our member-schools and nine of the 43 are TMCF scholars. These students will serve as a catalyst for TMCF - helping us deliver on our vision to Change the World …One Leader at a Time!"
Click Here to view the list of nine TMCF scholars and the full list of the 45 All-Stars from TMCF member-schools.
###
About the Thurgood Marshall College Fund
TMCF is named for the U.S. Supreme Court's first African-American Justice. Established in 1987, TMCF supports and represents nearly 300,000 students attending its 47 member-schools that include public Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), medical schools and law schools nation-wide and in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Through its scholarships and programs, TMCF plays a key role in preparing the leaders of tomorrow. TMCF is a 501(c) (3) tax-exempt, charitable organization. For more information about TMCF and its initiatives, visit www.ThurgoodMarshallCollegeFund.org.