UTICA – Tom Joyner, a nationally syndicated radio and television host based in Dallas, Texas, is the speaker for the May 13 graduation ceremony at Hinds Community College’s Utica Campus. About 130 students from the Utica Campus will graduate.
The ceremony is at 2 p.m. in the Boyd Gymnasium.
The Utica Campus, which has a designation as an HBCU (historically black college and university), has been selected by the Tom Joyner Foundation as its June 2018 School of the Month.
The “School of the Month” program is the signature program of the foundation, which supports historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) through fundraising efforts, scholarships, endowments and capacity-building enhancements.
The designation is an opportunity for supporters of the HBCU campus to help raise money for student scholarships. The Utica Campus enrolls more than 800 students per semester. To donate online, supporters can go to the website: https://hub.hindscc.edu/tomjoyner. Additional fundraising opportunities will be available over the next few weeks.
Joyner’s show is the nation’s top syndicated morning show, airing in 105 markets and reaching nearly 8 million listeners.
The Utica Campus is one of two, two-year HBCUs selected for the honor, which is traditionally reserved for four-year institutions. Annually, the Tom Joyner Foundation selects 11 HBCUs with which to partner. During the partnership, funds are raised in support of student scholarships and other initiatives to help sustain the HBCU.
Fundraising efforts include a monthly day of giving by faculty, staff and students; church and community outreach programs; a donor reception; alumni support initiatives and a visit from Joyner.
All donations received during the campaign will be used for student scholarships at Hinds’ Utica Campus. Although selected for June, the campaign officially kicked off March 1 and will continue through Dec. 31.
Since 1998, Joyner’s foundation has provided support to HBCUs to help sustain and preserve their legacies through fundraising and donor development initiatives. More than $65 million has been raised to support more than 29,000 students attending selected colleges and universities. Additionally, the foundation has recommended internships, offered matching grant support and career development to deserving students.
Hinds Community College has four other graduation ceremonies on May 10 and 11 at the Muse Center on the Rankin Campus. Over the five ceremonies, Hinds is awarding 1,839 degrees and certificates to 1,319 people, with some people receiving multiple credentials in academic, career or technical programs. This is the largest number of credentials Hinds has ever awarded for one graduation season.
As Mississippi’s largest community college, Hinds Community College is a comprehensive institution offering quality, affordable educational opportunities with academic programs of study leading to seamless university transfer and career and technical programs teaching job-ready skills. With six locations in central Mississippi, Hinds enrolls about 12,000 students each fall semester. To learn more, visit www.hindscc.edu or call 1.800.HindsCC.