FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WASHINGTON, DC – (March 22, 2018) – The Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) will postpone tonight’s 18th Annual New Jersey Awards of Excellence due to inclement weather. The new date will be Wednesday, April 18, 2018, at Nanina’s in the Park, Belleville, New Jersey.

The dinner committee is co-chaired by Damien Atkins, vice president, general counsel, and corporate secretary of Panasonic Corporation of North America and Linda A. Willett, senior vice president, secretary and general counsel of Horizon Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey. For over 17 years, the annual awards dinner has raised awareness and funds to support students attending TMCF’s 47 member-schools. The event recognizes standout leaders in the New Jersey community who carry out the rich legacy of the late Justice Thurgood Marshall’s passion for civil rights, justice, and education.

The 18th Annual New Jersey Awards of Excellence will honor:

• Susan A. Feeney, Esq.
  Partner, McCarter & English, LLP
• Michele C. Meyer-Shipp, Esq.
  Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP
• The Honorable Sheila Oliver
  Lieutenant Governor, New Jersey
• Jennifer G. Velez, Esq.
  Executive Vice President, Community & Behavioral Health, RWJBarnabas Health

“Every year TMCF honors extraordinary New Jersey leaders who are working to live up to the legacy and impact of Justice Thurgood Marshall,” said Dr. Harry L. Williams, president & CEO of TMCF. “This year, we honor four outstanding women that every aspiring attorney or public servant should look up to with pride and distinction.”

Past New Jersey Awards of Excellence honorees include: Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman US House of Representatives (NJ-12); Rev. Edwin Leahy of Newark’s St. Benedict Preparatory School; Paulette Brown, Esq., immediate past president of the American Bar Association (ABA), and The Honorable Madeline Cox Arleo, United States District Court Judge, District of New Jersey.

To purchase individual seats and tables please contact Mary Jones at [email protected] or register online.

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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.

Media Contacts:
Thurgood Marshall College Fund:
Mr. Paris Dennard
[email protected]

New Jersey Awards of Excellence:
Ms. Gayle Thigpen-Allen
[email protected]