INTRODUCTION (back to top)

The Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) was established in 1987 to carry on Justice Marshall's legacy of equal access to higher education by supporting exceptional merit scholars attending America's Public Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). The Office for the Advancement of Public Black Colleges (OAPBC) created TMCF with Justice Marshall's support. [OAPBC is an information and advocacy unit of the National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges (NASULGC) in cooperation with the American Association of State Colleges and Universities.] Today, 47 schools located in 22 states are members of the TMCF, including many of the nation's largest and most prestigious institutions of higher education.

To date, the Thurgood Marshall College Fund has awarded more than $60 million in scholarships, capacity building and programmatic support. More than 5000 Thurgood Marshall Scholars have graduated and are making valuable contributions to science, technology, government, human service, business, education and various communities thanks to the support they received from TMCF.

     

TMCF seeks to continue this nation’s mission to produce more minority students in the areas of math and science.  Moreover, TMCF is continuing to produce more leaders advocating economic development with a sustained focus of educating the nation’s workforce and providing state-of- the art instruction, facilities and curriculum.  Did you know:

           

• Nearly 80% of all students attending HBCU s are enrolled at TMCF institutions

 

• TMCF member institutions graduate more than 58% of the nation’s African-American public school teachers

 

• More than 2 million young people have graduated from TMCF member institutions

 

• TMCF member institutions produce the majority of African-American engineers in the nation

 

• TMCF member institutions produce well over 30,000 graduates a year, which is nearly five times higher the number produced by all other HBCUs combined.

 

More than 225,000 students are pursuing their dreams by getting an education at public HBCUs. TMCF's 47 member institutions provide excellent academic environments which are culturally unique and rich with history and tradition. Public HBCUs graduate 80 percent of all African-Americans who attend college; men and women who are transformed from students to future leaders on 47 campuses that provide students with experiences, leadership skills, friendships and a high-quality education that will last a lifetime.

The Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) is the only national organization that provides professional development, merit scholarships, programmatic and technological support to the 47 Historically Black Public Colleges and Universities (HBCU) and the six historically Black Law Schools.  Objectives for 2008 Legislative Agenda which focuses on maintaining the competitive edge relative to scientific and technological advancement; preparing the nation’s workforce in STEM professions, creating livable communities by studying the housing and  economic impact  HBCU’s can have on the communities that surround them.

 

Our FY2008 legislative package requests funding for programs which are specifically targeted to enhance the production of human capital for the next generation workforce.  Given this overarching goal, TMCF’s legislative agenda is designed to:

 

1)    Enhance the production of minority talent in STEM professions

2)    Enhance production of multilingual and culturally talented minority students

3)    Support technology training, advancement and professional development 

4)    Human Capital and Workplace Development

 

To carry out these priorities, TMCF seeks a federal partnership with and federal matching funds from the following federal agencies to advance a series of six (6) initiatives that are consistent with the federal mission of these agencies.

 

• Department of Defense
• Department of Education
• Department of Energy
• NASA
• Department of Housing and Urban Development
• Small Business Administration
• Department of Agriculture

 

Your assistance in facilitating this effort is crucial if our nation is to continue to make headway and remain competitive in this new global economy.  The federal investment of this request will allow TMCF member institutions and students to continue to be viable in the academic marketplace and will ultimately close the technological and language barriers we face as a nation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE FY2008 THURGOOD MARSHALL COLLEGE FUND CONGRESSIONAL AGENDA

 

An Overview (back to top)

 

In response to reports from “The Gathering Storm”, The Task Force on the Future of Innovation in America and The Council on Competitiveness,  the  Administration announced its American Competitiveness Initiative – a $50 billion investment in science, technology, research, education and training to meet clearly critical national and federal needs for the future’s science and technology workforce.  In addition, national commission reports also reiterated the essential need to ensure that this future workforce be a diverse one and that the nation’s HBCUs be effectively utilized to carry out these missions. 

 

Accordingly, the TMCF agenda focuses on this national call-to-arms to develop a truly effective science education and technology investment plan through several science and education agencies.  TMCF is uniquely positioned to both respond and partner with these core agencies producing the majority of this nation’s African-American engineers, as well its schoolteachers.  Graduating more than 30,000 students annually through 47 institutions in 22 states, TMCF has the unparalleled ability to provide these agencies with a way to work with a broad range of institutions, states and regions to advance their minority science and research goals. 

 

Accordingly, the Fund is proposing four partnerships focusing on science education, technology development and professional leadership and scholarly development – with Defense, Education, Energy and NASA.  The Fund has already raised more than $60 million in external private sector and foundation support to apply toward these initiatives.

 

There is a second TMCF objective embodied within this agenda, and that is to ensure that TMCF and its member schools and students utilize to the greatest extent possible their resources to advance the community, economic development, housing and workforce development needs of the distressed communities – large and small --  in which they are located.

 

 

 

 

THE FY2007 THURGOOD MARSHALL CONGRESSIONAL AGENDA (back to top)

                                             

·      THE DEFENSE LEADERSHIP AND TECHNOLOGY INITIATIVE

            Agency:                      Defense          

            Request:                     $5 Million

            TMCF Match:             1:1 Minimum

            Account:                      DOD RDT&E Research-Wide Account

            Subcommittee: Subcommittee on Defense Appropriations

 

·      THE TMCF NATIONAL EDUCATION, SCIENCE AND CRITICAL SKILLS CAPACITY BUILDING PROJECT

            Agency:                      Department of Education

            Request:                     $2 Million

            TMCF Match:             1:1 Minimum

Account:                      FIPSE/ Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education

            Subcommittee: Subcommittee on Labor, HHS, Education Appropriations

 

• THE TMCF MINORITY ENERGY SCIENCE INITIATIVE

            Agency:                      Department of Energy

Request:                     $2 Million

         TMCF Match:             1:1 Minimum

         Accounts:                    (a) National Nuclear Security Agency

                                    (b) Office of Energy Science

            Subcommittee: Subcommittee on Energy and Water Appropriations

 

• THE TMCF MINORITY NASA SCIENCE INITIATIVE

            Agency:                      NASA

Request:                     $2 Million

TMCF Match:             1:1 Minimum

Account:                      Science Education

Subcommittee: Subcommittee on Science, Commerce, Justice Appropriations

 

• THE MINORITY COMMUNITY SMALL BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE

            Agency:                      SBA, HUD    

            Request:                     $2 Million

            TMCF Match:             1:1

            Accounts:                    SBA Community Initiatives; HUD/EDI

            Subcommittee: Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General

                                                Government

Subcommittee on Transportation, HUD (THUD) Appropriations

 

 

·      THE TMCF RURAL DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE

      Agency:                      U.S. Department of Agriculture

      Request:                     $2 million

      TMCF Match:             1:1

      Accounts:                    Rural Development

      Subcommittee: Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture

 

 

THE DEFENSE LEADERSHIP AND TECHNOLOGY INITIATIVE

TMCF is committed to playing a major role in meeting the national and Defense challenge to ensure that the nation is producing the future science and technology workforce essential to meet Defense and national security needs.  Also consistent with mission and TMCF objectives is the Department of Defense commitment to ensure that we are also producing the minority scientists that are needed in the United States.  TMCF produces the majority of African-American engineers in the nation, and at least one-third of all TMCF Leadership Institute Students are committed to pursuing science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) professions.  Second, TMCF is committed to working with the Department of Defense to produce more effectively and professionally trained leaders for the future.  The Leadership Training Institute prepares over 600 students each year, as well as a large number of faculty.  TMCF member schools are deeply engaged as well in ROTC and critical language training, additional missions consistent with the mission of the Department of Defense.

 

The TMCF objective is to use this unparalleled network and collaboration of public HBCUs and the resources and programs of the Fund to help meet these Defense-specific missions and needs.  TMCF is also seeking Defense Department support to enhance minority scholar science and technology training and access to research experience and support to enhance the technology and instrumentation capacity of TMCF schools. The objective is to develop a well-designed partnership with the Department of Defense, with significant TMCF financial, programmatic and personnel resources which are already being committed at a dollar-for-dollar match.  

            Agency:                      Department of Defense        

            Request:                     $ 5 Million

            TMCF Match:           1:1

            Account:                    Defense, RDT&E Research-Wide Account

            Subcommittee:          Subcommittee on Defense Appropriations

 

 

THE TMCF NATIONAL EDUCATION, SCIENCE AND CRITICAL SKILLS CAPACITY BUILDING PROJECT

TMCF has an unparalleled ability to provide the Department of Education with a partnership that will enable the department to advance their missions and goals:

• to provide targeted financial and programmatic assistance to those most in need to ensure that they have all of the educational opportunities possible
• to ensure that they will pursue a higher education and to provide targeted support to these students to enhance their success
• to help ensure that the nation will have the trained science and technology workforce needed to ensure our national security, to ensure our ability to function effectively in an international and global economy
• to ensure that we have the critical learning and language skills needed
• to make certain that we are training the professional leadership needed by this nation across many fields
• to ensure that we are extending these educational opportunities to minority students so that the science and technology workforce will be a diverse one 

Recognizing the Administration's commitment to minority institutions and minority science education, TMCF can offer the resources of its Leadership Training Institute, Scholars program and its Partners in Achievement programs, and accordingly has outlined  a four-element partnership plan that would be matched at least dollar-for-dollar by TMCF financially, and supplemented extensively with TMCF programmatic resources and personnel in addition.  The goals of the partnership would be to build on these TMCF investments and programs to:

·      expand the number of minority students entering the sciences

·      provide these student scholars with expanded opportunities for training and research experience

·      to improve and enhance teacher training and science education curricula in high schools throughout the 22-state-region covered by TMCF schools through the Fund's Gates'-funded Partners in Achievement initiative

·      to secure additional assistance from the Department of Education to help public HBCUs develop the technology capacity they so critically need

 

            Agency:                      Department of Education

            Request:                     $2 Million

            TMCF Match:           1:1

Account:                    FIPSE/ Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education

Subcommittee:          Subcommittee on Labor, HHS, Education Appropriation

 

 

THE TMCF MINORITY ENERGY SCIENCE INITIATIVE 

TMCF has outlined a three-part Minority Energy Science Initiative to assist the Department of Energy in its efforts to recruit and retain talented minority students who will pursue careers in the energy sciences; to involve all 47 institutions in 22 states to help the Department of Energy meet its objectives and goals in science education, and minority science education in particular. TMCF provides the Department with a unique set of resources to achieve their goals, and in turn, TMCF seeks a partnership with the Department of Energy and the National Nuclear Security Agency that will enable TMCF to increase the number of minority Scholars pursing energy science as a career,      to afford minority scholars with access to research experience and assistance in helping TMCF schools develop the technology capacity they need.   TMCF will be investing significant matching resources into this partnership and is prepared to match any federal investment on at least a dollar-for-dollar basis, as well as supporting the partnership with both a broad array of well-established programmatic experience and resources.

Agency:                      Department of Energy

Request:                     $2 Million

         TMCF Match:           1:1

         Accounts:                   (a) National Nuclear Security Agency      

                                    (b) Office of Energy Science

            Subcommittee:          Subcommittee on Energy and Water Appropriations

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE TMCF MINORITY NASA SCIENCE INITIATIVE

TMCF has outlined a three-part Minority NASA Science Initiative to assist the Agency in its efforts to recruit and retain talented minority students who will pursue careers in the energy sciences; to involve all 47 institutions in 22 states to help the Agency meet its objectives and goals in science education, and especially in minority science education. TMCF provides NASA with a unique set of resources to achieve its goals.  In turn, TMCF seeks a partnership with NASA that will enable TMCF to increase the number of minority scholars pursing science as a career, to afford minority scholars with access to research experience; and assistance in helping TMCF schools develop the technology capacity they need.  TMCF will be investing significant matching resources into this partnership and is prepared to match any federal investment on at least a dollar-for-dollar basis, as well as supporting the partnership with both a broad and deep array of well-established programmatic experience and resources.

           

            Agency:                      NASA

Request:                     $2 Million

TMCF Match:           1:1

Account:                    Science Education

Subcommittee:          Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science Appropriations

 

 

THE TMCF MINORITY COMMUNITY SMALL BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE

The fifth initiative is one that offers to the SBA and HUD the unique and unparalleled resources of the TMCF membership to work with their local communities to advance community, economic development and affordable housing goals.  TMCF schools are located in 22 states, and most often in highly distressed communities -- both large and small --  from Ohio east to New York, from Maryland and Virginia south to North and South Carolina, Georgia and Florida; from Alabama to Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Texas -- from communities the size of Houston  to towns the size of Grambling, where the TMCF school is, indeed, the very heart of the town. In many of these communities, the TMCF institution is at the very heart of that community's economy and vitality.  

 

TMCF also recognizes as one of its major principles its responsibility to support and partner with the communities that surround them.  TMCF has received significant foundation support totaling almost $5 million to expand its community service, its educational mentoring and counseling activities in at least four states and at five initial sites (East Baton Rouge, Winston Salem, Houston and Brookshire, Texas, and Baltimore).  TMCF's goal is to engage all 22 states and 47 institutions. 

 

TMCF students have also declared that among their top objectives is their dream to develop, own and mange their business.  Accordingly, TMCF seeks to combine these two goals through a partnership with  agencies like the SBA and HUD to advance small and minority business development within their surrounding communities and regions; to help provide critical technical assistance, counseling, mentoring and financial support, including the engagement and assistance of local community business leaders; and through this partnership to enhance the professional education and training of TMCF minority scholars committed to the field of business management.

 

As the SBA and HUD seeks to expand their community outreach  TMCF believes that we offer

both agencies HUD a unique set of resources and locations to more fully explore how our institutions can partner with local government entities and community groups to advance community, economic development and small and minority business formation through its Leadership Training Institute and Scholars, as well as its Partners to Achieve community service program. 

 

            Agency:                      SBA, HUD    

            Request:                     $2 Million

            TMCF Match:           1:1

            Account:                    SBA Community Initiatives, HUD/EDI

            Subcommittee:          Subcommittee on Financial Services and General

                                                Subcommittee on Transportation, HUD

 

THE TMCF RURAL DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE

Since its inception in 1987, the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) supports programs across the country that develop the next generation of minority leaders including the award of more than $60 million in scholarships and programmatic support impacting over 224,000 students. It is these leaders that will impact the communities in which they live, many of them rural communities. TMCF is well positioned to have a significant impact on USDA rural development efforts across the country with the extensive coverage area of our 47 member institutions, over 20 of which are located in rural areas. Through the active coordination of rural development activities at our member institutions, TMCF can serve effectively as a centralized repository and clearinghouse of information on rural development programs, initiatives, opportunities, evaluations and subject matter experts.

 

TMCF’s goals closely parallel those of the USDA’s Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBS). We are committed to the many communities we serve through our member institutions and continually promote programs for the development of small and emerging businesses, as well development of a student and local workforce able to contribute to the economic development of its community. TMCF recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Department of Agriculture to build upon our synergies with their mission to disseminate information through our member institutions for rural development.

 

            Agency:                      U.S. Department of Agriculture

            Request:                     $1 million

            TMCF Match:           1:1

            Account:                    Rural Development

            Subcommittee:          Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture

 

 

 

 

THE THURGOOD MARSHALL COLLEGE FUND:

DEFENSE LEADERSHIP AND TECHNOLOGY INITIATIVE (back to top)

 

The Federal Mandate, Mission and Objective

The National Academy of Science and corporate and educational leaders from across the nation have joined together to produce the eye-opening report “The Gathering Storm,” as well as a series of other well-documented analyses on which all agree – that we are not adequately investing as a nation in the next generation of the scientists and skilled professional leaders essential for the United States to participate fully in the international, global economy.  From the President’s own Council of Advisors on Science and Technology Report (PCAST), The Council on Competitiveness, to The Task Force on the Future of Innovation in America, each carefully documented the critical importance of this nation turning its attention to the production of critically needed future U.S. scientific, technological, engineering and education leaders.

 

This new generation of leaders must also be a diverse generation of leaders.  Consistent  with these recommendations and goals, The U.S. Commission for National Security 21^st Century, Roadmap for National Security: Imperative for Change,” states that the “President and Congress should devise a targeted program to strengthen HBCUs ….. particularly those that emphasize Science, Mathematics and Engineering.” The Department of Defense has made a commitment to support this effort.

 

TMCF Mission

The Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) is the only national organization that provides in-depth professional development, merit scholarships, programmatic and technological support to the 47 Historically Black Public Colleges and Universities (HBCU) and the five historically Black Law Schools in 22 states in this nation.  TMCF schools graduate more than 30,000 African-Americans each year, and more than 80% of all African-Americans attending HBCU institutions attend a TMCF school.  Almost 60% of all African-American schoolteachers graduate from a TMCF member institution, and TMCF schools produce the majority of African-American engineers in this nation, and at least one out of every three TMCF participants in our Leadership Training Institute identify science as their academic goal. TMCF responds with an extensive range of training, mentoring and support systems to help them realize their goals. Fifty-five percent of all our thousands of TMCF scholars go on to enroll in professional and graduate schools.

 

TMCF is uniquely positioned to play a positive and integral role in helping this country and the Department of Defense meet these recognized, nationally and federally stated goals and needs.

 

The TMCF Objective and the Defense Leadership Training and Technology Initiative

Our FY2008 objectives focus on the TMCF role in helping the nation and the Department of Defense maintain its competitive, scientific and technological edge; preparing the nation’s future workforce in the STEM professions; and preparing a new generation of professional leaders in many critical arenas of national importance. Since 1999, TMCF has trained more than 500 students a year through its Leadership Training Institute, and more than 800 executive faculty and staff. Through our long-established TMCF Scholars program and our Leadership Training Institute we can play a clear and documented role in advancing Defense-related mission needs.

 

Beyond the STEM initiative, we would highlight that the Fund is also deeply engaged in and committed to a number of other Defense-consistent missions of note.  One further example of the TMCF commitment to leadership training is reflected in the fact that TMCF member schools represent one of the largest segments of all Defense ROTC units in the nation.  Another is the Fund’s stated commitment to expand our national expertise in critical language important to national security and intelligence agencies.

 

The Request:

TMCF  is requesting $5 million through the Department of Defense, RDT&E Defense-wide Account, to build on its commitments and experience in these arenas:

 

1. To provide TMCF member institutions and students with access to research opportunities in math, science engineering and technology; to provide our TMCF student scholars with the support and training they need to participate in cutting-edge research consistent with the Defense-mission to provide them with the incentives and support that will inspire and sustain their interest that will enable them to pursue advanced careers in science and technology ($1 million);

 

2. To support TMCF in its mission to expand the number of promising minorities entering the STEM professions, including expanded outreach and collaboration with secondary schools throughout these almost two dozen states to meet these future skilled workforce needs ($2 million);

 

3. To provide TMCF institutions with the updated scientific tools, instrumentation technology essential to enable TMCF students to embark upon a career of research and development, supporting the national objective to create a program whereby the nation   will be able to attract the best and brightest scientific minds from around the world to     work alongside the best and brightest American scientists ($2 million).

 

Fund Resources and Commitments:

The Thurgood Marshall College fund has raised over $60 million from private foundation and

corporate sources to help underwrite these targeted leadership, scholarship, training and technology activities.  Documented, extensive support from Microsoft, the Gates Foundation and others will be utilized to ensure that any Defense funds are matched on a dollar-for-dollar basis.

 

Funding Source:

Building on the initial FY2007 Defense investment in the Fund for these purposes through the Defense-wide RDT&E account of $1,000,000 the Fund is now submitting a $5 million three-element plan to build that will be matched on no less than a dollar-for-dollar basis with Fund resources.  Indeed, TMCF is prepared to commit to a 1:1 matching ratio.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THURGOOD MARSHALL COLLEGE FUND:

NATIONAL EDUCATION, SCIENCE AND CRITICAL SKILLS CAPACITY BUILDING PROJECT (back to top)

 

The Federal Mandate and Mission:

The U.S. Commission on National Security 21^st Century, Roadmap for National Security:  Imperative for Change report states that the “President and Congress should devise a targeted program to strengthen HBCUs, particularly those that emphasize Science, Mathematics and Engineering.”  The need to increase the number of students studying science, technology, engineering and mathematic (STEM) is well documented.  Indeed, several scholarly reports, including The Gathering Storm:  Energizing and Employing America for a Brighter Economic Future, have noted the decline.  Steps must be taken now to avoid a future where America is unable to compete effectively in the global marketplace.  Increased focus must be placed on developing and producing more STEM students, particularly among underrepresented minorities, to create a workforce that represents the diversity of the Nation.  Similarly, these nationally recognized assessments also pointed out the paucity of trained teachers and professionals in those critical languages also essential to participating effectively in an international, global economy.

 

The Department of Education was assigned leadership roles in two recently announced initiatives where America is facing particularly critical challenges -- American Competitiveness Initiative and the National Security/Critical Languages Initiative.   TMCF and the public HBCUs are uniquely positioned to partner with the Department of Education to meet these challenges, implement the ACI, as well as to help implement other USDE-mission-consistent goals.

 

The TMCF Objectives and U.S. Department of Education Missions:

The Thurgood Marshall College Fund is the only national organization whose focus is solely on the advancement of the nation’s public HBCUs, providing merit scholarships, programmatic, and capacity building support to the 47 Public Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and the five historically Black law school in 22 states, graduating over 30,000 African-American men and women annually, five times more than produced by all other HBCUs combined.

 

Founded in 1987 and headquartered in New York, the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) is the only organization chosen by Thurgood Marshall, Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, to bear his name, TMCF’s mission is to prepare a new generation of leaders by bridging the technological, financial and programmatic gap between public and private HBCUs, making the dream of a college education a reality. 

 

As a national resource, our institutions are committed to building capacity to not only support their students, but to serve as economic instruments of the state of the nation.  This federal investment will allow TMCF member schools to remain competitive in the academic marketplace and provide support and opportunities to their students.  TMCF seeks to close the programmatic gaps through this initiative.

 

 

The TMCF Initiative:

Specifically, TMCF is requesting funds to support a national partnership with the Department of Education with the following core elements:

1. Towards these ends, TMCF will partner with the USDE utilizing and building on several of the Fund’s long-established and effective programs like:

·      The TMCF Leadership Training Institute which training over 600 students each year, providing them with targeted professional leadership training skills, strong support systems and innovative academic, research and teaching, counseling and mentoring opportunities – including internships, scholarships, and fellowships. At least one-third of all Institute students have identified the sciences and STEM-related curricula as their academic preference.  The Institute has also provided professional development training and support to over 800 executive-level professionals, faculty and administrative staff

·      TMCF has supported thousands of TMCF Scholars who are working throughout the country.  These scholars have GPAs over the 3.5% range and represent a cadre of incredibly promising students.  Yet 90% of all TMCF students require student financial assistance; the profile of a TMCF student is one that reflects this level of financial need.  Attending a TMCF school may have been their only opportunity to pursue their postsecondary education.  This cadre of TMCF Scholars and Institute students is precisely consistent with the Department’s charge, for example, to implement the Pell SMART Grant Program; to help advance the Department’s charge to advance science education and address critical language training shortages.

·      The TMCF Partners in Achievement Program is a community service program that enables students at TMCF schools to work directly with and assist high school students through a well-designed mentoring and tutoring program, targeting low-performing schools and students who need targeted academic assistance and mentoring so that they will be able to go on to higher education.  The program is also intended to help provide these students with skills that will enhance college retention rates and educational success.  Funded by a grant of approximately $5 million from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, TMCF is working toward the development of “model schools”, consistent with school reform and teacher training improvement goals.  Initially there are five sites in four States – North Carolina, Louisiana, Texas and Maryland. The TMCF goal is to take this program into all 22 states and involve all 47 HBCUs.

            These are just a few examples of the programmatic activity, experience and     expertise that TMCF can bring to a USDE partnership.

The specific goals of the partnership would include:

2. USDE support to expand the reach and the capacity of the Leadership Training Institute, the Scholars program and Partners for Achievement initiative specifically to increase the number of minority students entering the sciences; to provide them with the support networks, incentives, experiences, and skill training needed to be successful in the STEM fields at the undergraduate, graduate and advanced study, to participate in research, work and  internship opportunities with public and private R&D, science and technology partners of the federal science and education agencies -- be they universities, public/national/federal Labs and Centers, and/or with other federally recognized/supported R&D partners.
3. USDE support for TMCF “Partnership” activities to enhance teacher training, curriculum development and model school reform; increasing and accelerating the rate of participation of the number of TMCF students participating, the number of TMCF schools and sites involved to increase the number of students who successfully pursue a higher education, especially in the STEM and critical languages arenas, and their success therein.
4. USDE support to TMCF to help address the gaps and extraordinary obstacles confronting public HBCUs in particular who have limited resources and endowments – to bolster their science and technology capacity.

TMCF Resources and Commitment:  

The TMCF is requesting $2 million to build on its current USDE-TMCF Capacity Building Initiative.  To date, TMCF has raised over $60 million in support from foundations and private sector leaders to advance these specific activities and objectives.  $16 million of that has been raised in the last 24 months alone and will be utilized to match any USDE partnership investment.  TMCF is prepared to match any participation on at least a dollar-for-dollar basis, and given current resources has designed this federal partnership on a 1:1 ratio.

The Request:

The Thurgood Marshall College Fund is requesting $2 million in assistance for USDE-mission-consistent activities to support the core activities outlined above through the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE) and the Subcommittee on Labor/HHS/Education Appropriations.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE THURGOOD MARSHALL COLLEGE FUND:

THE MINORITY ENERGY SCIENCE INITIATIVE (back to top)

 

The  Federal Mandate, Mission and Objective:

The National Academy of Science and corporate and educational leaders from across the nation have joined together to produce the eye-opening report “The Gathering Storm,” as well as a series of other well-documented analyses on which all agree – that we are not adequately investing as a nation in the next generation of the scientists and skilled professional leaders essential for the United States to participate fully and effectively in the international, global economy.  From the President’s own Council of Advisors on Science and Technology Report (PCAST), The Council on Competitiveness, to The Task Force on the Future of Innovation in America, each carefully documented the critical importance of this nation turning its attention to the production of critically needed future U.S. scientific, technological, engineering and education leaders. In February the President utilized the State of the union and his FY2007 Budget Message to underscore the importance of this challenge and announced The American Competitiveness Initiative and made the Department of Energy one of the three core science agencies to take on this initiative.

 

This new generation of leaders must also be a diverse generation of leaders.  Consistent  with these recommendations and goals, The U.S. Commission for National Security 21^st Century, Roadmap for National Security: Imperative for Change,” states that the “President and Congress should devise a targeted program to strengthen HBCUs … particularly those that emphasize Science, Mathematics and Engineering.” Accordingly, the Department of Energy has been investing in the joint challenge to ensure that this nation’s promising minority populations are more fully participating in this challenge as well.

 

TMCF Mission

The Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) is the only national organization that provides in-depth professional development, merit scholarships, programmatic and technological support to the 47 Historically Black Public Colleges and Universities (HBCU) and the five historically Black Law Schools in 22 states in this nation.  TMCF schools graduate more than 30,000 African-Americans each year, and more than 80% of all African-Americans attending HBCU institutions attend a TMCF school.  Almost 60% of all African-American schoolteachers graduate from a TMCF member institution, and TMCF schools produce the majority of African-American engineers in this nation, and at least one out of every three TMCF participants in our Leadership Training Institute identify science as their academic goal. TMCF responds with an extensive range of training, mentoring and support systems to help them realize their goals. Fifty-five percent of all our thousands of TMCF scholars go on to enroll in professional and graduate schools.

 

TMCF is clearly and uniquely positioned to a positive and integral role in helping this country and the Department of Energy to meet these nationally and federally recognized goals.

 

 

 

 

The HBCU Challenge and The TMCF Objectives

The Fund has outlined three inter-related initiatives, consistent with federal and Energy Department/Energy Science and Minority Science objectives:

 

1.     Helping to Produce the Next, Diverse Generation of Science and Technology Leaders.  TMCF has a long-established, highly successful and effective Leadership Training Institute which provides professional leadership training, mentoring, technical assistance and innovative academic experiences to more than 600 students a year. At least one-third of all TMCF leadership participants are committed to a career in science.  TMCF responds with the provision of well-designed support systems to help each participant realize their goals – from training to mentoring and the provision of innovative academic experiences to help them achieve their goals.  TMCF supports thousands of especially promising TMCF Scholars, who in addition have GPAs of 3.5 and above. 

 

            Utilizing both our Leadership Training Institute and our Scholars Program, and develop a strong partnership with the Department of Energy’s minority science research and education initiative and specifically with the National Nuclear Security Agency  (the NNSA), the Fund is pledged to help bring forth the next generation of creative and committed leaders to meet the demands of national and energy security:

 

·      Expanding its efforts to attract and retain talented minority students who will and can pursue future research, development, teaching and training missions consistent with the future manpower needs of the Department of Energy. 

·      TMCF is pledging to engage all 47 institutions in this initiative:

Ø    to more effectively recruit promising candidates into the energy sciences;

Ø    to prepare them more effectively for science and technology careers;

Ø    to formulate evermore effective mechanisms to provide TMCF scholars with participatory undergraduate research opportunities – from internships to lab co-op and summer employment/research training opportunities with  Department of Energy national laboratories and energy R&D academic and private sector partners.  

 

2.     Meeting the HBCU Technology Challenge.

HBCU’s face major obstacles in meeting the technology, infrastructure, and training requirements necessary to provide quality education for its students, and to remain competitive with mainstream institutions of higher learning. Forty percent of public HBCU’s lack an adequate IT infrastructure and network to give students, staff, and faculty full access to the information resources and interactivity of modern educational organizations.

 

·      In sharp contrast to most schools, more than 25 percent of HBCU students do not even possess or own their own computers. Indeed, HBCU institutions generally lack fully integrated Intranet/Internet networks that link schools to each other as well as to the full range of online informa