RICHMOND, VA (July 11, 2023)—The third annual UNCF (United Negro College Fund) “A Mind Is…”® Smooth Jazz Concert Gala is set for 6 p.m., Friday, Sept. 29, 2023 at the Historic Hippodrome Theater, 528 N. Second Street, Richmond, VA 23219. The event will feature the world class Decades Band and Show from Washington DC. and master saxophonist Gregory Amos. Also to be recognized will be the following 2023 Honorees: Frederick D. Patterson Award (Education) – Anita Wynn, VSU Director of Civic Engagement and Student Leadership; UNCF Keeper of the Flame Award (Community) – The Honorable Ellen F. Robertson Councilmember; and Corporate Partner Award (Business) – AdvanSix Chemistry Company.
UNCF supports 37 member private historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) across the United States, as well as approximately 60,000 students annually. Virginia Union University is one of the UNCF-member HBCUs. This event helps to support both HBCUs and their students across Virginia as well as those across the U.S. who lack the financial support to get to and through college successfully.
“Our goal is to be able to provide every local minority student with the funds they need to support their college education and promote awareness of UNCF across the state,” said Dana Brown, area development director, UNCF. “During the 2021-2022 academic year, we were able to give more than $1.3 million in scholarships to talented, deserving Virginia students.”
More than 250 civic and business leaders, education professionals and guests from across Virginia are expected to attend.
Sponsors and partners of the UNCF “A Mind Is…”® Smooth Jazz Concert Gala are Geico, Dominion Energy and Truist, Virginia Union University and media partner Urban Views RVA.
With the recent Supreme Court Ruling on Affirmative Action, UNCF knows that more students will turn to HBCUs for their college educations. We also know that our HBCUs will do everything they can to meet increased student demand. So today, UNCF is asking all Americans to contribute to UNCF and the HBCUs to help more students earn college degrees, compete successfully for well-paying jobs in competitive career fields and move from poverty into the middle class. We invite everyone in the Richmond and surrounding areas of Virginia to support our Smooth Jazz Concert Gala to help ensure better futures for us all.
To learn more, donate or purchase tickets for the event, please go to UNCF.org/RichmondJazz. You can also contact Dana Brown or Dianna Ruffin at 804.359.1581 or by email at dana.brown@uncf.org or dianna.ruffin@uncf.org.
