Thurgood Marshall College Fund to honor HBCU difference makers

Washington, D.C., Sept. 05, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) will host the DC CEO Impact NOW Awards Sept. 10 at the National Museum of African American History & Culture. The event brings together industry leaders, visionaries and changemakers for a night of networking, entertainment and honoring excellence.  

Award recipients and honorees for the event include Dr. Shuana Tucker-Sims (The Links, Inc.), Dr. Mark Frohman (Frohman Consulting Corp.) and members of the National Pan-Hellenic Council, also known as the Divine Nine.

“This year’s honorees have invested in powerful ways into our HBCU community,” Dr. Harry L. Williams, president & CEO of TMCF, said. “Their impact is beyond deserving of the recognition they’re receiving. Our students and institutions are better because of them.”

Actor Larenz Tate will serve as the master of ceremonies for the event. Entertainment for the evening includes actor and music producer DJ Jazzy Jeff and singer-songwriter Marsha Ambrosius. 

Tickets and sponsorships are still available. Individual tickets are $500. Ticket sales support scholarships, career pathways, leadership development and transformative opportunities for deserving students.

Dr. Shuana Tucker-Sims
Dr. Shuana Tucker-Sims serves as national president of The Links, Incorporated, an international organization of more than 18,000 professional women committed to service. During her tenure in Links, she has led transformative initiatives that resulted in the construction of four STEM laboratories in two schools in West Africa, and raised more than $350,000 to support students attending historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). 

She also serves as the chief talent officer for the Connecticut State Department of Education, overseeing statewide initiatives focused on educator development, workforce excellence and inclusive leadership. Tucker-Sims has held leadership roles in the U.S. Department of Education, the University of Connecticut and multiple Connecticut school districts. She is also a life member and Silver Star of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. 

Her leadership and service have been recognized by numerous organizations, including Phi Delta Kappa International, the Connecticut Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents (CALAS), Xavier University of Louisiana, the University of Connecticut, the Alpha Kappa Alpha Educational Advancement Foundation, the Connecticut State Conference of the NAACP, and Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Incorporated, among others. She also currently serves on the board of the Connecticut Girl Scouts.

Tucker-Sims earned a Ph.D. in educational policy from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, a Master of Public Administration from Louisiana State University and a Bachelor of Science from Xavier University of Louisiana.

Dr. Mark Frohman
Dr. Mark Frohman is the retired founder and president of Frohman Consulting Corp. where he spent decades advising more than 600 organizations — spanning Fortune 500 companies, family businesses and early-stage startups. He has been instrumental in establishing collaborative partnerships between scientific departments and HBCUs. In his work with TMCF, Frohman highlighted the critical importance of leveraging artificial intelligence and creating a center of excellence to serve member universities, students and the scientific community.

A dedicated SCORE mentor for 20 years, he has mentored numerous emerging entrepreneurs while taking on leadership roles in community organizations like the Rotary Club. Today, his work focuses on emerging artificial intelligence, establishing a medical center in The Gambia and advocating for sustainable practices that balance profit, people and the planet in underserved communities. 

Frohman holds a Ph.D. from the University of Michigan, where he conducted pioneering empirical research on organizational change strategies, building on a foundation of graduating with honors from the University of Rochester.

The Divine Nine
The Divine Nine represents the bedrock of student leadership, cultural heritage and advocacy across HBCUs. These Black Greek-letter organizations were created to foster academic excellence, provide social safe havens and cultivate lifelong solidarity at a time when Black students were routinely denied access to mainstream collegiate spaces. 

The Divine Nine also serves as a vital pipeline for leadership development and civic action that extends beyond graduation. Members have historically stood at the front lines of major social justice movements — from the Civil Rights Movement to voter protection initiatives — instilling a deep duty of civic responsibility in student bodies.

Through localized chapters and robust national alumni networks, these nine organizations invest millions of dollars annually into student scholarships, campus endowments, career mentorship programs and local community outreach. Their active alumni presence creates a powerful professional network that guides generations of Black scholars into high-impact careers. 

To sponsor the event, purchase tickets or for more information, email partners@tmcf.org.

About the Thurgood Marshall College Fund
Established in 1987, the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) is the nation’s largest organization exclusively representing the Black college community. TMCF member schools include the publicly supported historically Black colleges and universities, predominantly Black institutions and historically Black community colleges, enrolling nearly 80% of all students attending Black colleges and universities. Through scholarships, capacity building and research initiatives, innovative programs and strategic partnerships, TMCF is a vital resource in the K-12 and higher education space. The organization is also the source of top employers seeking top talent for competitive internships and good jobs. TMCF is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt, charitable organization. For more information about TMCF, visit tmcf.org.

Clara Ross Stamps
 The Thurgood Marshall College Fund
240-931-0696
clara.stamps@tmcf.org