MAYOR DAVID DINKINS, REP. CHARLES RANGEL, HONORED WITH LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS UNDERSERVED STUDENTS

UNCF (United Negro College Fund) has announced it has received its largest philanthropic corporate gift in its 78year history from Boston-based financial services leader Fidelity Investments to launch the Fidelity Scholars Program

As the next step in its long-standing commitment to financial education and inclusion, Fidelity is donating $190 million to UNCF as part of its $250 million Invest in My Education (ME)SM initiative. This new social impact program, built by Fidelity and its philanthropic partners, commits $250 million across the next five-years to provide access to education and facilitate economic mobility for up to 50,000 underrepresented African American/Black, Latinx American, Native American and Asian/Pacific Islander American students.

The Black Stars News 2015 Annual Awards Dinner will honor Mayor David Dinkins, Rep. Charles Rangel, Rep. Yvette Clarke, R. Donahue Peebles, Barbara Arnwine, Inez Barron, Sabrina Lamb, Dr. Rudy Crew, Stephen Byrd, Alia Jones, and the Central Park Five survivors of gross injustice on December 18 from 6:00pm –10:00pm at MIST Harlem, 46 West 116th Street dollar scholarships with comprehensive wrap-around support services eligible students.

“The design of this program is specifically geared to the mighty-middle, students with 2.5 to 3.5 grade point averages, who are often overlooked for scholarship opportunities and need significant financial support,” noted Larry Griffith, UNCF’s Senior Vice President, programs

“Each honoree chosen for recognition has demonstrated exceptional leadership and vision in her or his respective profession or endeavor and in some significant measure has contributed towards creating a more just society in this country,” says Black Star News founder and publisher Milton Allimadi. “Obviously much work needs to be done here and around the world.”

“This is an incredibly generous gift from Fidelity Investments,” said Dr. Michael L. Lomax, President and CEO, UNCF “We are delighted to partner with a premier global financial services company to do this work. The Fidelity Scholars Program is exemplary, innovative and demonstrates the company’s commitment to provide equal educational opportunities for lowincome and underrepresented students who do not have the advantages of other students.”

The program is consistent with UNCF’s mission as the nation’s largest private scholarship provider to students of color, administering an array of small and large scholarships that have helped more than 500,000 students to earn college degrees with the support of institutional philanthropic partners and individual donors.

“Fidelity’s extraordinary gift will encourage other corporate leaders to get involved and show their commitment for the education of bright, promising student scholars who simply need the financial resources and support services to achieve their college and career aspirations,” said UNCF Board Chairman Milton H. Jones, Jr.

The Fidelity Scholars Program features annually renewable, need-based, last-

The gala starts at 6:00pm with a cocktail hour to be followed by the dinner and awards ceremonies. There will be musical entertainment by opera singer Cassandra Douglas and from harmonica phenomenon William Galison. David Dinkins is honored for Lifetime Achievement — he was New York City’s first African American mayor and also welcomed Nelson Mandela to the city after his release in 1990. Rep. Charles Rangel, also honored for Lifetime Achievement, has served in Congress since 1971. He is a recipient of The Bronze medal for helping save soldiers behind enemy line during the Korean War Rep. Yvette Clarke is a Democratic member of the US House of Representatives from New York whose 9th district covers much of central Brooklyn. Before entering Congress in 2007, she and services. “This is not a transactional program, but a transformational program giving striving achievers a substantive scholarship and a comprehensive set of services based on research and best practices that UNCF has developed over the last 78 years.” health, communications, the environment, and interstate and international commerce. colleges and universities include HBCUs, state-funded, small private schools and community colleges that do the heavy lifting, but don’t often have the financial resources to support their students.”

In the fall of 2023, the Fidelity Scholars Program will launch for students in Massachusetts, Texas and North Carolina. It will ultimately include more than 2,500 talented students in areas where Fidelity