Serving South Florida

UNCF Fort Lauderdale

“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 South Florida and around the country?

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

READ OUR REPORT:
HBCUs Matter and Boost Our Economy

Did you know?

There are three UNCF-member institutions in Florida—among the state’s oldest higher education institutions:

Edward Waters University in Jacksonville, the oldest historically black college in Florida
Florida Memorial University in Miami Gardens
Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach

Miramar Honors UNCF with Proclamation

Roxanna Blissett, Development Director, Center in White, to my left is Mayor of Miramar, Wayne Messam, to my right is Commissioner Yvette Colbourne, beside her Vice Mayor , Alexander Davis, and City Commissioners and UNCF staff and South Florida Leadership Members.

Roxanna Blissett, development director at the Center, is flanked by Miramar Mayor Wayne Messam to her left and Commissioner Yvette Colbourne to her right. Vice Mayor Alexander Davis is next to Colbourne, with City Commissioners, UNCF staff, and South Florida leadership members also present.

Commissioner Colbourne emphasized the significance of this occasion,“It was a privilege to honor the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) South Florida office and Roxanna Blissett, development director, with a proclamation from the City of Miramar on its 80th anniversary during Black History Month.

On this occasion, we honor and celebrate not only the legacy of the UNCF but also the spirit of community and empowerment it embodies. The City of Miramar proudly stands alongside the UNCF in its 80-year journey of transforming lives through education.

I am excited to lead the City of Miramar and the UNCF scholarship initiative. Our commitment to this cause is unwavering, as evidenced by the remarkable $20,000 raised through our employees and community partners to support students at Everglades High School, Miramar High School, and Somerset Academy who are entering accredited colleges or universities in the U.S. Together, we are investing not just in scholarships but in the limitless potential of our students to become tomorrow’s leaders.”

Ft. Lauderdale-Supported HBCUs Punch Above their Weight

The UNCF research report HBCUs Punching Above Their Weight makes a strong case for a powerful proposition: Given their small average size and a history of being under-resourced, the enrollment, degree and economic impacts of HBCUs on African Americans in their respective states are significantly greater than one would expect. >> Read More at UNCF.org/PATW.

Florida HBCUs’ Performance

South Florida/Fort Lauderdale Leadership Council

Lt. Col. Thaddeus “Thad” Hamilton (Ret.)
Leadership Council Chair
Broward Soil & Water Conservation District 1, Former Chair

Mireille Louis Charles
Executive Director
Green Family Foundation

T. Carlton Williams
VP, Health & Welfare Consultant
USI Insurance Services

Gregory L. Murphy, Jr.
Behavior Health Professional
Palm Beach County School District

Mike D. Payne
National Vice President
A. Philip Randolph Institute Regional Director of the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists
International Longshoremen’s Association
AFL-CIO

Marc T. Henderson
Community Relations Coordinator
Miami Dade Aviation Department

George Gadson
Artist
George Gadson Studio

Kenneth Frasier
Vice President/Community Affairs
CHASE

Calvin Hughes
Anchor
WPLG -Local 10

Effie Olayinka Johnson
Compliance Officer
S&P Global

Rasha D. Thomas
Regional Director
AT&T Florida

Jehan Ruffin
Vice President
Paradies- Broward

T. Carlton Williams
Partner, VP, Employee Benefits Consultant
USI Insurance

“A Mind Is…”^®Annual Giving Society