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The Tom Joyner Foundation was founded in 1998 as the brain child of nationally syndicated radio personality, Tom Joyner. The mission has continued of supporting Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) with scholarship, endowment, and capacity building enhancements.
The Foundation has provided the support to every HBCU in its 18 year history to help sustain, and preserve the legacies of these valuable institutions. Through fundraising and donor development initiatives, $65 million has been raised to support more than 29,000 students attending HBCUs. Additionally, the Foundation has recommended internships, matching grants support, and career development to deserving students.
Corporate partnerships have resulted in the development of programs to support HBCUs and their students. These programs include:
- Teacher Quality – Assisting education majors and public school teachers to earn their needed certifications while teaching in urban and rural public schools;
- Hercules Scholars – targeted to support outstanding young men with a strong academic and community service background;
- First Generation College Students Scholarship – through this program, the first in a family to attend college would realize that goal through corporate support;
- Scholar of Honor – funded from the Tom Joyner Foundation to support veterans who had served in the Gulf War; and
- Single Parent Scholarship Support – made possible over the years by partnerships with three corporations.
- Denny’s Hungry For Education – Denny’s Corporation (NASDAQ: DENN) and the Tom Joyner Foundation partner for a scholarship program students attending selected Historically Black Colleges and Universities
- Allstate Quotes for Education initiative – HBC-I-Owe-U Program partnered with the Tom Joyner Foundation to help raise funds for HBCU institutions
These mentions are just a small number of the numerous partners which have fostered during 18 years of successfully supporting HBCUs. However, the most important product – students attending these great institutions, have realized the benefits of these partnerships and the vision of the Tom Joyner Foundation.
In the face of new challenges facing not only HBCUs, but our nation’s entire educational system, the Tom Joyner Foundation has expanded its core mission to not only support HBCUs and their students, but to also support the communities that strengthen our schools.