The Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) and the Valdry Center for Philanthropy (VCP) at Southern University have partnered to connect TMCF, the nation’s largest organization exclusively representing the Black College Community and its 47 member-schools, including the public Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Predominantly Black Institutions (PBI), with VCP, the only such Center for Philanthropy at a HBCU. The partnership addresses capacity building programs, research initiatives, and HBCU, and PBI-specialized programming.
Partnership services will include postgraduate degree programs (MPA and Executive PhD), a specialized curriculum in philanthropy for undergraduate and graduate students; seminar, certificate, and CTE programs for faculty, staff, alumni, donors, and volunteers; student social entrepreneurship fellowships; knowledge-based research for member institutions; teaching opportunities for faculty and staff; and year-round access to scholars and experts in philanthropy and nonprofit management.
“TMCF is excited to collaborate with the VCP,” said Harry L. williams, president and CEO of TMCF. “we believe that this partnership will yield great results for our students and for the overall Black College community.”
Undergraduate students will be offered a specialized curriculum designed to integrate philanthropic education during their freshmen through senior year instruction, with the idea that giving back is a learned behavior. Seminar and certificate programs for advancement professionals, faculty, administrators, alumni, and volunteers will also be available.
In addition, postgraduate degree (MPA and Executive PhD) programs in public policy and philanthropic studies will be offered through the Nelson Mandela College of Government and Social Sciences at SU. The partnership also supports the social entrepreneurship fellowship program for undergraduate and graduate students, through the SU Law Center’s Technology and Entrepreneurship Clinic.
“we are thrilled about the programming and research that this partnership will facilitate with TMCF member institutions, as it seeks to activate new dimensions of philanthropic studies and volunteer services at Historically Black Colleges and Universities,” said Alfred E. Harrell III, CEO, SU System Foundation and the Valdry Center for Philanthropy.
Pictured left to right: Alfred E. Harrell, III, Southern University System Foundation CEO and Harry L. Williams, Thurgood Marshall College Fund President and CEO.