Foundation assists students seeking funding

Foundation assists students seeking funding

The dilemma that many Historically Black Public Colleges and Universities (HBPCUs) face with providing students with adequate financial resources have found change.

The Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund, Inc. (TMSF) has stepped up measures in providing financial support to 44 public Black colleges and universities under the leadership of 33-year-old Dwayne Ashley, president of the Fund.

One of the youngest presidents of a non-profit organization, Ashley developed some strategies that has driven a lot of corporate dollars back into the community for potential college-bound Black leaders.

The most recent achievement by the young CEO was the recent award from the Lily Endowment Inc. in excess of $635,000 dollars to launch phase one of TMSF's strategic five year Building Program.

"Over the next five years, we plan to increase scholarships funds because there are not enough funds," Ashley said.

The increase would provide up to $150 million capital for scholarships, fellowships and faculty support, and $50 million would be donated by partnerships with corporate businesses.

"This would allow us a standard amount of funding," he said.

In addition to providing financial support to students, the foundation will also provide financial support to HBPCUs' internal programs such as staff development at the schools and its most recent venture, a special Executive Fund-raising Program for the University CEO's at the Fund-Raising School at Indiana University's nationally recognized Center on Philanthropy attended by HBPCU presidents.

The foundation currently works with Chicago State University and their after-school and feeder programs and has pursued plans to work with the Chicago Public Schools, in adopting a payroll deduction plan specifically for the foundation.

Ashley said the fund that is currently set-up for his foundation is not exclusive.

The growing number of Blacks attending predomintal-Black public schools makes it more prevalent for those funds to be allocated and Ashley contends that there will be a willingness on the efforts of the CPS' faculty.

"Most of them (graduates) would want to give back to the public schools because they went there," Ashley said.

Ashley said at least 85 percent of funding goes back to programs assisting various pilot and mainstream programs.

Currently the Fund provides up to $4,400 in scholarships to over 2000 recipients and up to $1,000 in emergency funding to those college seniors in need.

Ashley said to dispel the myth, where most believe the fund is targeted to law school bound students, the foundation was created to assist any student with at least a 3.0 out of a 4.0 grade point average planning to attend an HBPCU.

The foundation is very close to Ashley's heart.

He believes that the organization, which was founded on the rich history of Thurgood Marshall, an American jewel, is a great legacy for Blacks to follow.

"No one in history represents his kind of commitment to excellence," he said.

"It was the same commitment which drove me forward to send his message and let (youth) know that you can be anything you want to be."

Ashley said he envisions the foundation to be a voice for higher education and support students who are building their academics.

Since the program's inception in 1987, the Fund has secured over $21.2 million with $7 million procured for this year alone.

The scholarship fund continues to commit to "preparing a new generation of leaders."

Ashley, also a HBPCU alumni of Wiley University in Wiley, Tex., said he will continue to build the program's capacity.

"I'm doing something I love to do."

Article Copyright Sengstacke Enterprises, Inc.