Historic UNCF National Virtual Walk for Education® Raises $2.9M for HBCUs
Along with broad support from individuals and corporations, Shaquille O’Neal, Quest Love, Anthony Hamilton, Lynn Whitfield and Wendell Pierce supported HBCUs and joined the successful fundraiser sponsored by The Colgate-Palmolive Company, Global Payment, Inc, Arch Capital Group, LTD.; Bayer, Essentia Water and Goldman Sachs
During an historic day, UNCF celebrated its first-ever National Virtual Walk for Education® online, Sept. 19. The event successfully helped the organization reach new fundraising heights, exceeding the original goal of $1.5 million by raising $2.9 million for UNCF’s historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and their students. The new digital fundraiser replaced the annual in-person walk events that many of the UNCF local offices conduct each spring, summer and fall, taking what’s typically been a market-by-market approach on to a fully nationwide activation event.
The revamped, highly anticipated UNCF National Virtual Walk for Education® raised funds to support historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and the students they serve through the help of individuals, corporations and other group donors.
The event featured moving performances by Anthony Hamilton and Questlove with appearances by Shaquille O’Neal, Lynn Whitfield, Jonathan Slocumb, Wendell Pierce and others.
“For more than 76 years, UNCF has fueled HBCUs with vital resources to educate generations of African American and other minority students,” said Dr. Michael L. Lomax, president and CEO, UNCF. “During an unprecedented time in our history compounded by COVID-19 and racial disparities, our students and institutions are faced with enormous challenges now more than ever. We are at risk of washing away a generation of talented and deserving African American and minority students. We need as many donations as possible right now because the students we help now will be our next generation of doctors, nurses, biologists, virologists, epidemiologists, teachers—the pandemic frontliners of the future. We thank everyone who joined our new National Virtual Walk for Education to help ensure better futures for us all.
“The virtual walk celebration is available for the next month, ending on Oct. 31. We hope people will continue to give and help us reach $3 million raised through this event,” Lomax added.
The impressive event’s on-going success is largely due to the overwhelming support from individual participants and the national sponsors including National Doctorate Level, The Colgate-Palmolive Company and Global Payment, Inc.; National Master’s Level, Arch Capital Group, LTD., Bayer, Essentia Water and Goldman Sachs.
You still have the opportunity to give back to HBCUs! Visit UNCF.org/NationalWalk for details about the 2021 virtual walks. Follow UNCF on social media @UNCF #LaceUp4UNCF #HBCUStrong #HBCUsMatter #UNCF.
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About UNCF
UNCF (the United Negro College Fund) is the nation’s largest and most effective minority education organization. To serve youth, the community and the nation, UNCF supports students’ education and development through scholarships and other programs, supports and strengthens its 37 member colleges and universities, and advocates for the importance of minority education and college readiness. UNCF institutions and other historically black colleges and universities are highly effective, awarding nearly 20% of African American baccalaureate degrees. UNCF administers more than 400 programs, including scholarship, internship and fellowship, mentoring, summer enrichment, and curriculum and faculty development programs. Today, UNCF supports more than 60,000 students at over 1,100 colleges and universities across the country. Its logo features the UNCF torch of leadership in education and its widely recognized trademark, ‟A mind is a terrible thing to waste.”® For continuous updates and news, follow UNCF on Twitter at @UNCF.