UNCF’s Inaugural Mayor's Breakfast Hosted By Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson and the UNCF Northwest Leadership Council

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Gary, Indiana (PRWEB) February 07, 2014

UNCF (the United Negro College Fund), the nation’s largest and most effective minority education organization, is proud to announce that Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson will serve as host of the Gary, Indiana, inaugural UNCF Mayor’s Breakfast on Wednesday, February 12, 2014. Michael L. Lomax, Ph.D., president and CEO of UNCF will be the keynote speaker. Mayor Freeman-Wilson will be joined as host by the UNCF Northwest Leadership Council. The event will take place at the Marquette Park Pavilion in Gary at 8:00 AM. The breakfast will bring together 300 business, civic and education leaders in support of UNCF’s work to create a college ready culture that provides students with the support they need to get to and through college.

“While a college education is more important than ever in today’s economy, too many of our young people are not academically or financially prepared for post-secondary education. UNCF is proud to work with Mayor Freeman-Wilson and the members of the UNCF Northwest Leadership Council to ensure our students here in Gary have the opportunity to obtain the college degrees they need, and that the community and our nation needs them to have,” said Michael L. Lomax, UNCF President and CEO. “Investing in our students’ futures now will pay dividends for all of us as they become our next generation of leaders.”

“This inaugural Mayor’s Breakfast speaks to our community’s commitment to the work UNCF is doing through its Northwest Leadership Council to improve educational outcomes in our city,” said Mayor Freeman-Wilson. “Dr. Lomax and UNCF are investing in our students, and I am proud to partner with them. As a member of the Northwest Leadership Council we continue to strengthen our historically black colleges and universities and ensure that more African American students are graduating from college.”

The UNCF Northwest Leadership Council was formed in 2007. Over the past seven years, it has raised more than $353,000 in support of scholarships for Northwest Indiana students and operating support for UNCF Member Institutions. The Northwest Leadership Council works in partnership with the community-at-large and statewide partners, including the City of Gary, USA Funds, NIPSCO, Majestic Star, United Water, and the John W. Anderson Foundation. The investment of time and energy by supporters has enabled the Northwest Leadership Council to award more than 50 scholarships averaging $3,000 per recipient.

“We are proud of the partnership UNCF and its Northwest Leadership Council has with Mayor Freeman-Wilson and her office, and we thank her for her continued commitment and for her participation and support of the UNCF Leadership Council,” said Shelice Tolbert, co-chairperson of the UNCF Northwest Leadership Council. “Through our work with Mayor Freeman-Wilson and the communities of Northern Indiana, we are investing in the advancement of minority higher-education and better futures for Indiana’s young people,” said Cynthia Powers, co-chairperson of the UNCF Northwest Leadership Council.

For more information on the UNCF Mayor’s Breakfast in Gary, please contact the UNCF office: (317) 283-3920 or via email at: andrea.neely(at)uncf(dot)org.

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, strengthens its 37 member colleges and universities, and advocates for the importance of minority education. UNCF institutions and other historically black colleges and universities are highly effective, awarding 21 percent 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 900 colleges and universities across the country.

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