Because of partners like Wachovia, 98 percent of Thurgood Marshall College Fund's scholarship recipients have successfully graduated from college, 52 percent have gone on to attend graduate and professional school, and hundreds have joined the ranks of corporate America and are making contributions in the fields such as business, finance, technology, engineering and communications.
"Wachovia is proud to support the Thurgood Marshall College Fund because we know that giving future generations access to education is the most important investment we can make," said Mike Rizer, director of Community Relations for Wachovia. "We believe that every student in our nation should have access to a high quality education, from pre-school through college. That's why we've made education one of Wachovia's top community priorities."
"This historic grant is an extension of Wachovia's long commitment to investing in historically black colleges and universities," said Dwayne Ashley, president of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund. "Wachovia's investment will ensure that opportunity and prosperity are available for people of all communities."
This grant will have a major impact on the 47 Thurgood Marshall College Fund institutions. More than 70 percent of all students attending historically black colleges and universities are enrolled in Thurgood Marshall College Fund member schools.
About the Thurgood Marshall College Fund
The Thurgood Marshall College Fund, Inc., named for the late U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice, was established in 1987 and represents 47 public Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) located in 22 states with a population of well over 232,000 students. It is the only national organization of its type that provides merit-based scholarships and programmatic support to students attending the nation's public Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Over the last 20 years, Thurgood Marshall College Fund has awarded more than $60 million in scholarships and programmatic and capacity support, enabling more than 6,000 students to attend public Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Thurgood Marshall College Fund also provides internship programs and joins corporate and foundation partners in providing leadership training and support to students preparing for undergraduate and professional schools. Thurgood Marshall College Fund is a 501(c) 3, tax-exempt organization. Please visit the Thurgood Marshall College Fund at http://www.thurgoodmarshallfund.org/.
About Wachovia
Wachovia Corporation (NYSE:WB) is one of the nation's largest diversified financial services companies, providing a broad range of retail banking and brokerage, asset and wealth management, and corporate and investment banking products and services. Wachovia has retail and commercial banking operations in 21 states with 3,375 retail banking offices from Connecticut to Florida and west to Texas and California. In addition, two core businesses operate under the Wachovia Securities brand name: retail brokerage with 750 offices in 47 states and service affiliate offices in Latin America, and corporate and investment banking in selected industries nationwide. Other nationwide businesses include mortgage lending in all 50 states and auto finance covering 46 states. Globally, Wachovia serves clients through more than 40 international offices. Online banking is available at wachovia.com; online brokerage products and services at wachoviasec.com, and investment products and services at evergreeninvestments.com. At December 31, 2006, Wachovia had assets of $707 billion and market capitalization of $108 billion.