The Thurgood Marshall College Fund has officially assumed leadership of the HBCU Philanthropy Symposium, marking a significant transition for the premier gathering of historically Black college and university advancement professionals and their philanthropic partners.
The announcement came during the opening session of the 15th annual symposium at Walt Disney World in Orlando, where TMCF President and CEO Dr. Harry L. Williams delivered a keynote address titled "This Is Our Moment." Williams, who previously served as president of Delaware State University, emphasized the strategic importance of the leadership change as HBCUs face both opportunities and challenges in the current educational landscape.
"This is not just a transfer of leadership—it's a call to action," Williams told the more than 400 attendees. "HBCUs have always done more with less. But this moment demands that we do more with more. This symposium is the training ground and launching pad for that future."
The symposium was originally founded at Delaware State University under the vision of Dr. Vita Pickrum, who served as vice president of institutional advancement and president of the DSU Foundation until her retirement last year. What began as a modest gathering of two schools and one funder has grown into a major convening representing two-thirds of the HBCU community, alongside dozens of corporate and private philanthropic organizations.
"When Dr. Pickrum first brought us together 15 years ago, just two schools and one funder participated," said Dr. Tony Allen, current president of Delaware State University. "This transition to TMCF will expand the symposium's reach, supercharge its important mission and serve to benefit HBCU students across our country."
Under TMCF's stewardship, the symposium is positioned to expand its offerings significantly. Plans include additional professional development opportunities, a certified fundraising management credential, and an enhanced focus on scalable best practices that can be implemented across campuses of varying sizes and resources.
The timing of the leadership transition reflects broader conversations about equity and access in higher education. As HBCUs navigate increased scrutiny while simultaneously experiencing renewed interest from donors and policymakers, the symposium's role as a capacity-building platform becomes increasingly crucial.
This year's conference features an impressive lineup of speakers, including U.S. Congresswoman Alma Adams, a leading Congressional advocate for HBCUs; former U.S. Secretary of Education Dr. John King Jr., now chancellor of the State University of New York; and Dr. John Silvanus Wilson Jr., former president of Morehouse College and former executive director of the White House HBCU Initiative.
The symposium draws support from major sponsors including Amazon, Barclays, Cisco, The Kresge Foundation, Salesforce, and United Airlines, among others, demonstrating the corporate sector's growing commitment to HBCU advancement.
Established in 1987, TMCF represents the nation's largest organization exclusively serving the Black college community, with member schools enrolling nearly 80% of all students attending Black colleges and universities. The organization's assumption of symposium leadership aligns with its broader mission of strengthening HBCUs through scholarships, capacity building, and strategic partnerships.
Williams said that the transition represents not just an organizational change, but a strategic evolution designed to meet the growing needs of HBCU advancement professionals in an increasingly complex philanthropic landscape.
