Education means everything to Kwame Building Group founder and CEO Tony Thompson, and the Kwame Charitable Foundation reflects his ongoing support through scholarships and exposure to colleges.
Nearly 50 high school students embarked on four-days of college visits during the annual HBCU College Tour. The teens and five adult chaperones visited Grambling State University, Mississippi Valley State University, Southern University and A&M College and Texas Southern University.
Each school customized an on-campus experience to showcase their history, facilities, student life, amenities, extracurricular activities, graduation rates and academic successes. 2024 marks the 10 tours since Kwame Building Group HR Manager Sonja Lemmie established the tradition.
“In 2012, my daughter was unsure about which school she wanted to attend, and the local high schools did not provide information about Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs),” Lemmie said.
I initially planned to take her and a few friends, but it turned out to be a group of 48 students.”
Lydia Huston, Kwame Charitable Foundation executive director, was also on board with check presentations for new scholarships at each school.
“The tour succeeds in increasing students’ awareness of the benefits of HBCU’s,” said Huston.
“We are now broadening the relationships with the schools to include internship opportunities, as well as endowed scholarships, as we have with 25 other partner schools.”
Funding for Kwame Charitable Foundation’s Endowed College Scholarships and the HBCU College Tour is partially possible through fundraising efforts, such as the annual Golf Tournament.
This year’s tournament will be on Thursday, May 9 at The Courses at Forest Park. Presenting Sponsors for this year are Dowd Bennett, LLP and Kwame Building Group. Sponsorship opportunities are available www.kwamecharitable.org.
In 2023, there were130 golfers and checks were presented to six partner schools at the cocktail reception.
The Kwame Charitable Foundation was established in 2003 by Kim and Tony Thompson to address a prevailing need among first generation African American students.
The Foundation provides support to post-secondary institutions to establish endowed scholarships, educational programming, mentorships, internships, and life-skills training to prepare for an ever-evolving workforce.
Twenty-one years later, the foundation has established endowed scholarships at nearly 30 institutions, while also supporting organizations that help to enhance the educational landscape within this region and throughout the United States.
According to the foundation website, “The foundation strives to change the trajectory of the lives of motivated young adults. College exposure, mentorships and endowed scholarships are the primary avenues by which we remove barriers that can impede success. Through the intentionality in various community initiatives, the future is more hopeful for scholars, so deserving of the opportunity to reach their full potential.”
