Celebrating Dr. Michael L. Lomax For Hist Historic 22-Year Tenure Leading UNCF

For more than two decades as President and CEO of UNCF,Dr. Michael L. Lomax has served as one of the nation’s most influential champions of educational opportunity, strengthening Historically Black Colleges and Universities and expanding pathways for generations of students. As he prepares to conclude his historic tenure at UNCF next summer, we are proud to join so many across the education community in celebrating Dr. Lomax: our 2025 GSV Lifetime Achievement Award honoree; a member of the ASU+GSV HBCU Partnership Advisory Board; and an exemplary leader, catalyst, and friend.

Since his presidency began in 2004, Dr. Lomax has exponentially expanded UNCF’s scope and influence. He has led the organization to raise more than $4 billion to support HBCUs and their students — and is on track to grow UNCF’s own endowment 10x by his exit next June. Under his leadership, UNCF has grown its scholarship programs to help over 300,000 students pursue and earn degrees at 600 institutions, opening doors for individuals, families, and communities. This impressive scale is a testament to Dr. Lomax’s tenacious advocacy across political and philanthropic arenas, elevating not just their 36 member institutions, but HBCUs as a critical network for innovation and economic mobility nationwide. 

His work leading UNCF and as part of the ASU+GSV HBCU Partnership is palpably personal, rooted in his own HBCU story: attending Morehouse College at 16 years old; teaching on the faculties of both Morehouse and Spelman Colleges; and serving as the fifth president of Dillard University, where he increased student enrollment by nearly 50% and oversaw landmark investments into the institution.

From becoming the nation’s foremost champion of HBCUs to serving on K-12 boards of KIPP and Teach for America, Dr. Lomax has dedicated his career to creating equal access to the future for ALL. We are immensely grateful for his leadership and partnership, and we celebrate the unprecedented transformation and momentum he has fueled in our collective movement to change the world for good.

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