A Message from Dr. Lomax

Thank you for your interest in education and for taking a few minutes to learn about UNCF and what we are doing to make sure all Americans, not just some, get the education they deserve and need—and that we as a nation need them to have.

“Think of contributing to UNCF as making an investment that pays a dividend in the form of college-educated workers, prosperous communities and a strong competitive economy. ”

Today, a college education is what a high school diploma used to be: the minimum requirement for most well-paying, fast-growing careers. Yet at a time when African Americans and other people of color will soon make up a majority of the workforce, there is a crisis in education. Nearly half of all black children who begin kindergarten do not graduate from high school. Of those who enroll in college, only 40 percent finish within six years.

This is not what we want for our children, communities, businesses or our country.

We must do something about this crisis—and we must do it now. With your help, UNCF can make a difference. We can provide even more scholarships to students who need help paying for college. We can continue to help our 37 member colleges and universities give their students a good education at tuition they can afford. And we can make sure the nation knows how important it is that students get the kind of education before college that enables them to succeed in college.

Think of contributing to UNCF as making an investment that pays a dividend in the form of college-educated workers, prosperous communities and a strong competitive economy. Invest in UNCF to speed the day when every black child who enters pre-school in America will graduate from high school college-ready, and when all students who enroll in college will persist until they earn a degree.

You can also help by spreading the word about UNCF to your friends and colleagues, who in turn will spread the word to their friends and colleagues, widening the circle of investment as we go.

After all, “A mind is a terrible thing to waste, but a wonderful thing to invest in.”

Dr. Michael L. Lomax
UNCF President and CEO
Read his bio