Hennessy and The Thurgood Marshall College Fund Team Up for $10 Million HBCU Scholarship Initiative [Corrected]

The Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) and Hennessy have announced a joint $10 million HBCU scholarship initiative, according to Black Enterprise.

The goal of the Hennessy Fellows Program is to encourage and support the next generation of black excellence through mentoring, financial assistance, networking and opportunity creation. It is hoped that by offering 10 fellowships each year over the next 10 years, the program will increase the number of highly qualified black professionals leading major corporations.

Harry L. Williams, president and CEO of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, declared in a statement:

When such a tremendously successful global brand like Hennessy invests in a higher education non-profit like ours, it tells the world that HBCUs and PBIs [predominantly black institutions] have value and are worth investing in, and TMCF is the best steward to carry out such a monumental investment. This is major, and it can’t be overlooked as just a financial contribution, it is a real partnership that is a game changer for the students and our community.

This unprecedented initiative is open to top-performing graduate students pursuing a variety of majors, from business and law to engineering and human resources. Fellows will be exposed to “online training forums, an immersive boot camp, and networking opportunities to enhance the exchange of ideas and provide direct exposure to interrelated corporate, social and economic systems,” according to the program website.

Hennessy Fellows will accept applications through May 5, 2019. Students enrolled in accredited HBCU or PBI graduate programs with a minimum GPA of 3.25 are eligible to apply. TMCF also encourages applicants to have “leadership experience, strong ethical and moral character, academic excellence, and cultural awareness.” The 10 selected fellows will be announced in June and will receive benefits for the fall 2019 term, including the following:

• Scholarship up to $20,000 per academic year
• $10,000 annual stipend for other educational expenses
• Opportunity to compete for a community-related project grant up to $10,000
• 1:1 executive coaching
• Access to online training forums, networking events, and professional advancement experiences
• Development of leadership and soft skills via exclusive opportunities and experiences
• Attend an immersive boot camp in the summer of 2020

Learn more about the Hennessy Fellows Program below.

Correction: Sept. 21, 2019, 5:05 p.m. ET: This story has been edited to clarify that the program is open to graduate students, not undergrads, as well as to remove unattributed text and to add fuller sourcing.