Dr. N. Joyce Payne presented with inaugural Dr. N. Joyce Payne Trailblazer Award at Thurgood Marshall College Fund board retreat; new board directors elected at spring meeting
May 14 2024 - 8:45AM
The Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) Board of Directors
recently recognized its founding director at its board retreat.
Dr. N. Joyce Payne, founder of TMCF, was presented with the
inaugural Dr. N. Joyce Payne Trailblazer Award by board chairwoman
Racquel Oden for her lifetime commitment to advancing education and
empowering women. The award will be presented in her name to
celebrate exceptional women leaders impacting their communities and
beyond.
“I’m incredibly moved to receive such an honor,” Dr. Payne said.
“That it came from one woman, our first chairwoman of the board, to
another means so much. Continue doing incredible work and impacting
the world.”
In other key presentations during the retreat, the
board:
- Heard about the
state of HBCUs from Dr. Tony Allen, president of Delaware State
University and chair of the U.S. President’s Board of Advisors on
Historically Black Colleges and Universities
- Listened about how
partnering with Business Roundtable from Dane Linn (senior vice
president of corporate initiatives), Jonay Holkins (senior director
of policy and corporate initiatives) and Matthew Spikes (senior
director of government relations) benefits our students and member
schools
- Reviewed financial
performance with external auditors Rogers & Co.
During its spring meeting on May 9, the board elected new
members: Machell W. Mims (senior vice president of human resources
at Lowe’s), Byna Elliott (global head of Advancing Black Pathways
for JPMorgan Chase) and Mark A. Nelson (vice chairman of Chevron).
The new directors provide a wealth of experience and perspectives
across a wide variety of sectors.
Dr. Payne was conferred status of director emeritus of the board
after stepping down as a director of the board. She served in the
role since the organization’s inception.
Oden, having accepted the chair role in January, provided the
chairwoman’s report. She said during her 16 years of board service
at TMCF she made a concerted effort to keep close contact with the
organization, attend programming and spend valuable time with
students. Oden also recently spent time with members of the TMCF
ambassador program, who represent the organization on each campus
as a peer-to-peer representative. She encouraged board members to
provide their full engagement and presence to help TMCF deliver on
its ambitious goals.
TMCF President Dr. Harry L. Williams provided the president’s
report. During his report, Dr. Williams introduced the upcoming
inaugural CEO Impact Award Breakfast in Charlotte, North Carolina
on June 13 at the Lowe’s Tech Hub, honoring Lowe’s Marvin R.
Ellison, chairman and chief executive officer. The regional event
is the first in a series that will elevate the TMCF brand and raise
scholarship funding. Dr. Williams also introduced the new chief
marketing and communications officer, Dr. Clara Ross Stamps, who
brings more than 30 years of experience in tourism and higher
education as an executive, marketer and educator. Finally, Dr.
Williams discussed the all-staff meeting in March.
“It was wonderful to bring staff together in Washington, D.C.,”
Dr. Williams said. “We were able to have robust conversations about
our new strategic focus, as well as our key performance indicator
development and planning processes.”
In other action items, the board:
- Passed a resolution
to create a standing marketing committee;
- Passed a resolution
to grant TMCF membership to Denmark Technical College
- Passed a resolution
to grant Charles Merinoff chairman emeritus status. Merinoff served
as board chair from 2019 to 2023.
About the Thurgood Marshall College Fund
Established in 1987, the Thurgood Marshall
College Fund (TMCF) is the nation’s largest organization
exclusively representing the Black College Community. TMCF member
schools include the publicly supported Historically Black Colleges
and Universities, Historically Black Community Colleges and
Predominantly Black Institutions, enrolling nearly 80% of all
students attending Black colleges and universities. Through
scholarships, capacity building and research initiatives,
innovative programs, and strategic partnerships, TMCF is a vital
resource in the K-12 and higher education space. The organization
is also the source of top employers seeking top talent for
competitive internships and good jobs. TMCF is a 501(c)(3)
tax-exempt, charitable organization. For more information about
TMCF, visit www.tmcf.org.
Dr. Clara Ross Stamps
The Thurgood Marshall College Fund
240-931-0696
clara.stamps@tmcf.org