WASHINGTON, DC – (February 23, 2018) – Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) to host “UVI RISE” fundraiser in support of member-school, the University of the Virgin Islands (UVI), Saturday, February 24, 2018, at TMCF headquarters in Washington, DC.
The devastation caused by Hurricane Irma directly impacted UVI’s campus and many UVI students and employees lost their homes, jobs, and access to many basic necessities. All UVI St. Thomas campus structures incurred water damage and intrusion, fallen ceilings, and exterior damage. Hurricane Maria also caused significant damage to buildings and surrounding property on the UVI St. Croix campus. In total, ten buildings were taken completely offline after both the storms with preliminary repair estimates ranging from $60M – $80M. As a result of TMCF’s advocacy work, UVI was added as a Title III B graduate school in pending legislation to reauthorize the Higher Education Act (HEA). The inclusion of this provision in the final HEA reauthorization would assist UVI in securing vital funding in its recovery efforts.
“TMCF is a family made up of 47 member-schools and nearly 300,00 students,” said Dr. Harry L. Williams, TMCF president & CEO. “When one of our member-schools is suffering we all feel it, so there was no doubt that we had to do something tangible to help Dr. Hall and the resilient faculty, staff, and students at UVI.”
Joining TMCF’s Dr. Harry L. Williams as event co-chairs are Rev. Dr. Wesley Williams, trustee of the University of the Virgin Islands; Ian Tomlinson, president and co-founder of Omni Systems, Inc.; Dr. Mildred Garcia, president of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities; Peter McPherson, president of the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities; Dr. Rick Legon, president of the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges; and Dr. Lezli Baskerville, president of the National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education. UVI President, David Hall will provide remarks about the impact of the hurricanes and the school’s efforts to rise above this natural disaster.
To donate to the UVI Rise visit: https://app.mobilecause.com/vf/2017IRMA
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About 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 publicly-supported Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Predominantly Black Institutions (PBIs). Publicly-supported HBCUs enroll over 80% of all students attending HBCUs. Through scholarships, capacity building and research initiatives, innovative programs, and strategic partnerships, TMCF is a vital resource in the K-12 and higher education spaces. The organization is also a source for 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: tmcf.org.
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