Dr. Harry L. Williams

08/26/2026

I am thrilled to invite our community to join the Thurgood Marshall College Fund in Washington, D.C. this September for two powerful events: the DC CEO Impact NOW Awards and our 39th Anniversary Gala. We will be recognizing outstanding corporate changemakers, university leaders, advocacy icons and our Divine Nine community who are opening doors for the next generation.

Special thanks to our incredible hosts and performers — Larenz Tate, Ledisi, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Marsha Ambrosius and Tambra Cherie—for bringing their talent to support our HBCU scholars.

Join us in D.C. and help us continue changing lives through education.

Purchase tickets for the 39th Anniversary Gala: https://e.givesmart.com/events/OE0/?isOrderFormActive=true

Purchase tickets for the DC CEO Impact NOW Awards: https://e.givesmart.com/events/PLX/?isOrderFormActive=true

The Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) is hosting two marquee events in Washington, D.C. in September.   The 39th Anniversary Gala is slated for Sept. 12 at the Marriott Marquis. The event is TMCF’s largest fundraiser and awards ceremony, convening corporate executives, government officials a...

08/17/2026

It was a great morning at Bowie State University!

I was delighted to join President Aminta H. Breaux and the BSU campus community for their annual Faculty Institute. I had the privilege of sharing insights on the evolving higher education landscape and the vital role of HBCUs in driving institutional transformation.

Thank you, President Breaux, for the gracious invitation—wishing the faculty and staff a fantastic and transformative academic year ahead!

08/14/2026

What an inspiring two days at our Impact Now event on Martha’s Vineyard!

From celebrating our honorees, Pullen Ross (Dr. N. Joyce Payne Trailblazer Award) and Shelley Stewart Jr. (CEO Impact Award), to hearing powerful stories from TMCF scholars Kylie Rice and Ryan Richmond, our luncheon reminded us why investing in HBCU excellence matters.

We kept that momentum going on the green for our HBCU Golf Classic fundraiser. Thank you to our donors, partners and community for showing up for our students.

07/27/2026

We had an incredible time at the TMCF Impact Now: Brunch in the Hamptons, hosted at the beautiful home of our Board Chair, Racquel!

We were honored to welcome Governor Wes Moore, who shared inspiring remarks honoring Justice Thurgood Marshall, reminding us that through "every drop of adversity... he was willing to put in the work to make us better, and he never forgot where his training came from."

The highlight of the event was hearing from former Chelsea Grant. Chelsea graduated with her LL.M. from Fordham University, works in the legal division at Goldman Sachs, and is a mom to two incredible children.

As Chelsea put it so well during her remarks: "Success is never achieved alone."

When you support the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, you aren't just funding a scholarship—you are opening doors for future leaders, innovators and changemakers. Thank you to everyone who joined us to support our HBCU scholars!

07/22/2026

It was an absolute pleasure hosting a fireside chat with Rahul Goyal, president and Chief Executive Officer of Molson Coors, at the recent TMCF Molson Coors Innovation Challenge. Fostering innovation and providing unique platforms for our students to showcase their talent is central to our mission at the Thurgood Marshall College Fund.

Thank you to the Molson Coors team for your continued partnership and commitment to empowering the next generation of leaders!

07/15/2026

Yesterday, we officially welcomed our TQRP fellows to the 2026 summer institute!

I want to extend a huge thank you to Savannah State University President Dr. Jermaine Whirl for joining me at the opening ceremony to give our fellows a warm Savannah welcome. We are so grateful for the partnership and shared vision for our future educators.

To our fellows: You have a busy, exciting and growth-filled week ahead. Dive in, connect with one another and enjoy every moment.

07/10/2026

We had an incredible time in Houston yesterday during our regional Thurgood Marshall College Fund Impact Now event. We were especially excited to share the moment with Chevron and celebrate our partnership during our Corporate Partner Spotlight.

One of the absolute highlights was watching our attendees dive headfirst into the breakout sessions. Providing this level of access—where our future leaders learn directly from industry experts—allows our corporate partners and HBCU supporters to see the mission of TMCF executed firsthand.

The energy, ambition and talent on display in Houston yesterday were unmatched. Proud is an understatement!

07/09/2026

07/06/2026

Artificial intelligence is reshaping every single industry, and technological fluency is no longer a luxury—it is a prerequisite for equity.

That is why the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, The Dr. N. Joyce Payne Research Center and HBCUs nationwide are leaning in. Through new initiatives, grants, and credit-bearing AI courses at schools like Howard University, we are making sure our students are shifting from AI consumers to AI creators.

We are moving with urgency to ensure that the next great AI breakthrough comes from an HBCU campus.

Read "The AI divide is the new literacy test and HBCUs are leading the solution" in the The EDU Ledger: https://www.theeduledger.com/institutions/article/15828003/the-ai-divide-is-the-new-literacy-test-and-hbcus-are-leading-the-solution

04/25/2026

Today, I had the opportunity to speak on the STEM Educational Institute’s Coding Conversations podcast. We talked about everything from AI skills requirements to the importance of workforce readiness and the HBCC-to-HBCU pathway.

I met TMCF scholar, Kiandra A. Pascascio, and her mother. Kiandra is a business administration and management major at Morgan State University and a recipient of the TMCF | McDonald’s Black and Positively Golden Scholarship. Seeing the impact of these scholarships firsthand is a reminder that when we invest in our students, we invest in the future.

Great things are ahead for Kiandra!