DR. LOMAX ADDRESSES SENATE DEMOCRATS  ON STUDENT LOAN DEBT
Senate Democrats met with stakeholders Feb. 3 to address student debt and college affordability. The
senators heard testimony from students, teachers and other stakeholders about the impact of debt on students' personal and career choices and how student debt affects the economic growth of an entire generation.  "We will get over 100,000 applications for 10,000 scholarships," Dr. Lomax testified. "So for everyone we award, we just about turn away nine students. And these are students who are doing everything right." To see his full testimony, watch this  VIDEO.  Dr. Lomax begins speaking at 40:33. 


LOWE'S GRANT HELPS FUND UNCF'S CAMPAIGN FOR EMERGENCY STUDENT AID, A LIFELINE FOR UNANTICIPATED NEEDS 

Students from low-income families--the students whose education is UNCF's core mission and is vital to the U.S. economy--know only too well how unpredictable life can be. A parent's layoff or pay cut, a change in student loan eligibility standards, or just a dip in the economy can derail plans for a college education--not just at the beginning or end of a semester, when most scholarships are awarded--but at any time, and without any warning. UNCF understands that. That's why, in 2009, we created the Campaign for Emergency Student Aid (CESA), to provide just-in-time student aid so that students can stay in school and graduate. Lowe's is a longtime supporter and, in 2015, contributed $500,000 to this effort. Previously, Lowe's contributed more than $3 million to CESA, enough to help more than 1,500 students at UNCF's member institutions stay on track for graduation and earn college degrees.

UNCF CESA SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT 
My name is Chelsea Moore, and I am a junior at Bennett College for Women. I study journalism and media studies. During my collegiate career, I had the opportunity to interview Emmy® and Academy® Award winner Louis Gossett, Jr., and U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Julian Castro.  I created the show, "The Weekly Ring," during my sophomore year and it is now Bennett's official news show.  I have maintained a 4.0 grade point average throughout. 

None of this would have been possible without the UNCF CESA scholarship. A few days before the spring semester began, as I prepared to travel out of the country, I learned that I owed $3,000 when I thought--and had been told--that all of my financial obligations had been met. I was confused and had no clue what to do. The scholarship allowed me to pay my spring semester off completely, and to pursue my dream of traveling the world. I will graduate in December 2016 and hope to pursue a communications career with the NBA. 
Dr. Lomax accepts check from Richard Davis of U.S. Bancorp 
U.S. BANK ANNOUNCES MULTI-YEAR SCHOLARSHIP AT MINNESOTA LUNCHEON;
URGES OTHERS COMPANIES TO JOIN IN

U.S. Bank in February announced a $700,000 multi-year scholarship program in partnership with UNCF at the seventh annual UNCF State of Minnesota Leaders' Luncheon on Education in February, and offered a call to action for other Minnesota corporations to join the effort. This year's luncheon was sponsored by U.S. Bank, Target, Medtronic and 3M. In an effort to have a positive impact on the lives of Twin Cities' students in successfully making it to and through college and into careers, U.S. Bank established the UNCF Ujima Scholars Program. Named for the third principle of the seven-day African American holiday Kwanzaa, the Swahili word "Ujima" (oo-JEE-mah) stands for "collective work and responsibility."

"At U.S. Bank, we invest our time, resources and passion to build and support vibrant communities that allow every person to work toward their possible," said Richard Davis, chairman and chief executive officer of U.S. Bancorp. More
UNCF EMPOWER ME TOUR
VISITS GREENSBORO AND NEW ORLEANS; 
NEXT UP SOUTH CAROLINA
U.S. Marines showing high school students how to tie a tie in New Orleans.
The UNCF Empower Me Tour (EMT)--a free, traveling college-and career-readiness road show--stopped in Greensboro, NC. and New Orleans, LA in February. The tour visits  Columbia, SC on March 4-5.  The EMT platform was created in 2008 to empower a national movement among young people, motivating them toward academic excellence and personal responsibility through relevant program content and engagement of community and business leaders. The tour consists of a series of presentations, panels and interactive workshops that will expose students and their families to powerful and motivational messages on college and career readiness, fiscal responsibility and self-efficacy as well as the role and success of HBCUs. Approximately 600 attendees at each stop include students in grades 9-12, HBCU college students and alumni, parents, K-12 educators and guidance counselors, HBCU admissions staff and faculty, and community and business leaders. Sponsors include  Darden Foundation, FedEx, Procter & Gamble, the U.S. Marine Corps and Wells Fargo.  MORE
Panelists, from left, Brittany Packnett, executive director, Teach For America - St. Louis; Dr. Joyce Ladner, sociologist; Dr. Lomax; Dr. Terrence Roberts, community activist and member of the "Little Rock Nine"; and DeRay McKesson, activist/organizer.
UNCF PARTICIPATES IN TEACH FOR  AMERICA 
25th ANNIVERSARY SUMMIT
Dr. Michael L. Lomax, UNCF's president and CEO, and Sekou Biddle, the vice president for advocacy, led panel discussions around the theme of civil rights and education as a part of Teach For America's (TFA) 25th Anniversary Summit, held Feb. 6 in Washington, DC. Biddle is a former TFA corps member and classroom teacher who leads UNCF's advocacy efforts to promote college readiness within the African American community. He led a panel entitled "Letter from Birmingham Jail: Perspectives on the Long Road to Equity." VIDEO

Dr. Lomax is an 18-year board member of TFA, former college professor and former president of UNCF-member institution Dillard University. He led a panel entitled "Then and Now: The New Civil Rights Agenda and Education Reform." It was one of the most well-attended panels of the anniversary gathering. VIDEO
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