For the third time, North Carolina A&T has been selected as Tom Joyner’s School of the Month for October.
The university will be promoted by the Tom Joyner Morning Show and receive funds raised from listeners, alumni and other interested parties this month. All of the proceeds are given to the donor’s choice of universities. The show, airs in 115 markets around the country and reaches nearly eight million listeners every week.
The School of the Month is an annual program developed by the Tom Joyner foundation. The Foundation raises funds for scholarships and community development for 12 HBCUs each year. A&T was also selected for School of the Month in 2000 and 2006.
Since A&T was announced as October’s school of the month, Carletta Simmons, A&T director of annual giving, has created initiatives to boost alumni support. Students, alumni, faculty and staff will raise money for scholarships and community development.
“This campaign will raise much needed funds for well deserving students,” Simmons said. The goal is to raise $100,000. In addition to messages at home football games, Simmons is speaking one on one with alumni and using social media sites to raise funds. “Everyone has until the end of the financial year to make donations. I hope students understand the importance of philanthropy and how this affects them.”
Nationally acclaimed radio personality, Tom Joyner, founded the Tom Joyner Foundation in 1998. Founder of REACH Media Inc., and BlackAmericaWeb.com, Joyner, a graduate of Tuskegee University, has always been a strong supporter of historically black colleges and universities.
The Tom Joyner Foundation seeks to provide students with an opportunity to attend an HBCU despite their financial background, in addition to
helping institutions by broadening and strengthening their efforts to raise money and to maintain student enrollment at HBCUs. The foundation also partners with HBCUs as well as the university’s surrounding community to create scholarships and enrichment programs.
Joyner has other programs including the Hercules Scholarship and the Veterans Education Program. The Hercules Scholarship, named after Joyner’s late father, is awarded to a successful male student. The Veterans Education Program helps transition veterans back to civilian life and into a university setting by providing them with counseling, support, and education.
“This is a good chance for A&T to recruit new students,” said senior, Janee Francois. “I’m glad they’re raising money for scholarships, but I barely see that money. I hope the money is distributed to all programs on campus.”
Corporate sponsors of the foundation include Coca-Cola, Ford Motor Company, Allstate, Denny’s, Combined Federal Charities, and Anheuser Busch (Budweiser). Allstate donates $10 to the Foundation for every insurance quote up to $200,000, and Budweiser has given over $1 million in support of numerous scholarship programs supporting minority students.
Courtney Jackson, staff writer and social media manager of university relations, is working directly with a class to develop programs to inspire students to give back.
“This is a good opportunity to get involved as a university,” Jackson explains. “When times get rough, we can pull ourselves up by our boot straps.” Students can look forward to a union takeover and dining hall takeover later this month.
- TRISTAN BAILEY Register Reporter