Supporting Indiana

UNCF Indianapolis

“A mind is a terrible thing to waste, but a wonderful thing to invest in.”^® Why not invest your time or money in better futures for young people in Indiana and around the country.

UNCF Indianapolis is here to help you send a student to college and turn his or her life around.

Welcome from the Leadership

Every year, the UNCF enables thousands of underrepresented students to attend college, succeed and graduate, ready to lead. As we inch closer to our 80th year of service, our mission continues to be more potent than ever. Join us in supporting deserving students, right here in Indiana, reach their higher education goals.

Events Recap

We’re still buzzing from our successful 20th Bowling for Scholars Bowl-A-Thon, Northwest Indiana Mayor’s Breakfast, and Indianapolis MASKED Ball. Our events have had appearances from community leaders and high-profile guests like Congressman Andre Carson, Mayor Eddie Melton, Kenny Lattimore. Each event affirmed our commitment to fostering the next generation of leaders.

The Indianapolis Bowling for Scholars

The Indianapolis Bowling for Scholars proudly reports the successful conclusion of the 20th Annual Bowling for Scholars Bowl-A-Thon, held on Saturday, March 16, 2024. This fun family friendly event, held at Woodland Bowl in Indianapolis, was attended up to 100 guests.

The event saw a gathering of eminent personalities, such as Congressman Andre Carson.

There were youth volunteers from VOICES, a youth centered organization created to enhance the lives of youth and families of color who helped to serve our participants throughout the day and enjoyed a game of bowling as well.

Music was provided by Sounds by Batman a local Indianapolis DJ who spun tunes that everyone enjoyed and danced to.

Thank you to our sponsors!

Northwest Indiana Mayor’s Breakfast

Photo Credit: Cooleys Image

The Northwest Indiana Mayor’s Breakfast was hosted by the Honorable Eddie Melton with over 380 community members in attendance to support UNCF’s efforts to raise money for the Northwest Indiana Scholarship Fund. He spoke on the importance of giving back to the youth through education in the northwest region of Indiana. In fact, it was incredibly heartwarming to see Khaya Numpe and Abram Lewis recognized for their educational achievements. The two teenagers graduated with their bachelor’s degrees while attending 21st Century Charter School in Gary, IN. Kevin Teasley, superintendent of GEO Academies and CEO of GEO Foundation, spoke highly of their achievements and lit up the room with his passion for supporting students who aim high in their studies, like they do!

Kevin Peterman, a Howard University alum, spoke to the audience with a fierce passion on the importance of increased access to higher education for students. “It’s time for HBCUs to do more with more instead of more with less”, he exclaimed. The room was inspired, and the event raised over $40k for the Northwest Indiana Scholarship Fund.

Over $400k Raised at the 2023 UNCF Indianapolis MASKED Ball

UNCF Indy hosted its 16th Annual Masked Ball, and it was a major success! We want to sincerely thank you for coming to the event and for your enthusiasm. Our attendees expressed their support in our efforts to invest in education, foster the next generation of leaders, and raise money for deserving students. Also, a special thanks to the Grammy Nominated singer and songwriter, Kenny Lattimore, for closing the night with crowd favorites.

Thank you to our sponsors who made this event what it was: Eli Lilly and Company, Strada Education Foundation, UpLift, NIPSCO, IU Health, Indianapolis Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc, and many others!

Photo Credit: Lenny White @ Pride Photography

Indiana Leadership Council Chair Highlight

Indianapolis Chair: Pat Roe, retired VP Philanthropy at Strada Education Network
Northwest Indiana: Shelice Tolbert, Tolbert & Tolbert, LLC
- Visit Tolbert & Tolbert: Tolbert & Tolbert | Gary, Indiana | Northwest Indiana (tolbertlegal.com)
Fort Wayne: George Hicks, Parkview Health
- Learn More about George: On the Summit’s Horizon: George Hicks — Fort Wayne Ink Spot (fwinkspot.com)

Upcoming Events

August 11th, 2024: First Ladies Tea
June 5th, 2024: Fort Wayne Mayor’s Breakfast
June 15th: Faith Leaders Brunch
September 21st, 2024: Northwest Indiana Walkathon
November 23rd, 2024: Indianapolis MASKED Ball
Feb 5th, 2025: Indianapolis Mayor’s Breakfast

A little each payday adds up to a lot of student support. Join the thousands of employees and employers who are using workplace giving to make a difference.

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Indy IAC Works for Students in Your Area

The mission of the Indianapolis Inter-Alumni Council (IAC) of UNCF is to support, promote, influence, and strengthen HBCUs. Our mission is a commitment to working with UNCF to ensure its network of member institutions are a respected model of best practice in moving students to and through college. The goals of IAC are related to increasing support of alumni for Black colleges and universities and Black higher education.