FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WASHINGTON, DC (May 21, 2018) – The Thurgood Marshall College Fund’s (TMCF), Opportunity Funding Corporation (OFC), will host nearly 100 students from 38 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), for the “Igniting an Entrepreneurial Mindset” OFC Innovation and Entrepreneurship Conference. The event will identify entrepreneurial talent, and train future innovators from HBCU’s in the skills needed to generate economic success, through their own business or within today’s knowledge-driven organizations. OFC will be held May 21-25, 2018 at American Underground in Durham, North Carolina.
“Our Opportunity Funding Corporation is the future of TMCF because we are literally identifying the next generation of global entrepreneurs from the Black College Community,” said Dr. Harry L. Williams, TMCF president & CEO.” The students gathered at American Underground will be provided with resources, and knowledge, to bridge the business-building gap for HBCU students in this ever-changing, expanding and growing economy.”
The Thurgood Marshall College Fund acquired OFC in 2013, as a vehicle to re-infuse an entrepreneurial mindset and entrepreneurship skills and experience into the African-American community, with HBCUs as the central hubs. OFC takes a holistic (and intersectional) approach to infusing education and professional development in innovation & entrepreneurship.
“Each year I grow more and more impressed by the creativity and talent of our HBCU participants,” said M. Scott Lilly, OFC president and Thurgood Marshall College Fund’s chief program officer. “We are identifying, developing and most importantly deploying students who are exposed to some of the world’s best corporations like our event title sponsors Apple and John Deere. Conference participants will also engage with event partners Wells Fargo, UPS, and, MATI Energy.
Scheduled speakers include:
- Clarence Bethea, founder & CEO, Upsie
- Gamal Codner, co-founder, Fresh Heritage
- Antwon Davis, co-founder, Spendefy™
- Shuya Gong, venture designer, IDEO coLab
- Felecia Hatcher, co-founder, Code Fever
- Hassan Riggs, founder and CEO, Smart Alto
- Kehlin Swain, co-founder and CEO, Xplosion Sports Technology
For more information about OFC, visit: http://ofc.tmcf.org/.
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ABOUT THE THURGOOD MARSHALL COLLEGE FUND (TMCF)
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 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 PK-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:tmcf.org.