Scholarships can play a significant role when navigating the financial responsibilities required to fund an education. Nearly 60 percent of families depend on them to help cover the monetary burden associated with a college degree, next to family contributions, the second biggest source for college funding—and families of first generation and/or African American students often even more so.
For more than 35 years, Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) has awarded more than $300 million in assistance to students attending historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). TMCF has delivered 98 percent of its awards exclusively to HBCUs.
According to CollegeStats.org, white students receive more than 75 percent of all institutional merit-based scholarship and grant funding, despite the fact that they represent less than three-quarters of the student population. White students are also 40 percent more likely to win private scholarships than students of color.
Yet in recent years, the “typical” college student demographic has shifted. There has been an increase in enrollment from traditionally underserved and low-income communities. A 2021 paper in the Journal of College Access cited 2014 U.S. Department of Education statistics that noted, “First-generation college students are more likely to come from families with lower socioeconomic status,” and that racial and ethnic minorities constituted 54 percent of first-generation college students.
When financial burdens exist, it is harder to focus on learning. The Education Data Initiative found that first-generation students have a 92.2 percent higher dropout rate than students whose parents have bachelor’s degrees or a higher level of education attainment. Black students are 33.8 percent more likely to drop out than the average college student, according to the Education Data Initiative. It also noted that 38 percent of students attribute financial hardships as their No. 1 reason for dropping out.
Removing the financial barriers associated with college degree attainment opens the doors for students to excel and have a more immersive college experience. This also enables them to participate in programs such as study abroad, internships and workshops without the encumbrance of financial concerns or the added stress of working multiple jobs while enrolled.
The fund was named after Justice Thurgood Marshall, the groundbreaking civil rights lawyer, crusader and Supreme Court justice who was instrumental in ending legal segregation and who is also exemplary of TMCF’s driving principle: “Be the first.” Both an affirmation and an inspiration, “Be the first” affirms Black students’ ability to go above and beyond what their surroundings and society expect of them, and to forge a path of their own to become the leaders they have the potential to be—just as Marshall did.
“Thurgood Marshall College Fund and its leadership institute offered me a chance to get face-to-face interaction with Fortune 500 companies,” said Troy Jefferson, a former TMCF scholarship recipient. “If it wasn’t for TMCF, I would not have had the introductions that led to my current role as a project manager at JPMorgan.”
“In a less tangible way, my opportunity as a first cohort Hennessy Fellow extended to me a less formal networking ability, where I learned from high level executives how to navigate corporate America,” added Jefferson. “Kudos to TMCF for substantial opportunities such as funding, internships and career fairs, but also the lifelong coaching and leadership development and advancement offered to participants.”
“TMCF has given me the opportunity to ‘Be the first’ to share my wisdom and experiences afforded to me through TMCF to help those around me in their journey,” said Jordan Jackson, a TMCF scholarship recipient and a current student at North Carolina Central University, in Durham, who is studying business administration with a concentration in marketing. Added Jackson, “As a TMCF Wells Fargo Scholarship recipient, I was able to participate in the leadership institute. There, I was offered an opportunity to participate in workshops, career development and to network with leadership teams at Fortune 500 companies. Through this experience, I was able to find an internship opportunity for the summer of 2023.”
Shania Muhammad is a TMCF scholarship recipient and a student at Langston University, near Oklahoma City. She said, “My scholarship from TMCF has offered me much more than mere funding. The biggest impact TMCF has provided me was my first internship, which was amazing. It was a two-week fellowship through the Teacher Quality and Retention Program in Houston, Texas, where I was trained on how to be a teacher.” Muhammad elaborated, “The program offered me meaningful connections and professional development sessions where I could improve myself, my résumé and my elevator pitch.”
Muhammad graduated May 2022 at the age of 14 with an associate’s degree from both Langston University, with summa cum laude distinction, and Oklahoma City Community College; she was the youngest to ever graduate from either school. In May 2023, she will graduate from Langston University with a bachelor’s degree in family and consumer sciences. After graduation, she hopes to continue her educational journey by working toward her MBA.
“My advice to future TMCF students is to take advantage of all TMCF has to offer,” said Muhammad. “Spend time on the TMCF website and click on everything! Take the time to find what is there for you and what is offered to enhance your college experience.” Muhammad underscored, “The mentors TMCF offers are top-notch. I meet with my mentors often and continue to learn from them daily.”
With statistics stacked against first generation and Black college students, it is imperative that scholarships and programs are available to support them. But scholarships not only reward the students; their dividends benefit their communities and society as a whole.
In data cited in the Department of Education’s College Scoreboard and reported by OnlineU, HBCU grads in the seven majors studied (including STEM and the fine arts) “can earn more than average for their field of study compared to all graduates.” This added income translates to increased quality of life, purchase and investment power for HBCU alumni.
Furthermore, according to a 2022 report by the Brookings Institution, “HBCUs play a critical role in unlocking upward mobility for students, driving economic growth by cultivating talent and nurturing entrepreneurship, and supporting the overall development of the neighborhoods they are located in by leveraging their physical, social and financial assets.” This in turn results in added jobs for HBCU students’ and grads’ local economies.
When the impact of HBCUs is examined all around, it becomes apparent that historically black colleges and universities are not only a sound decision for students but also for the communities these schools serve. Investing in Thurgood Marshall College Fund not only supports HBCUs, their students and their communities—it helps pave the way for future Black leaders who benefit us all.