UNCF Walk for Education set for Oct. 5

The New Orleans office of UNCF (the United Negro College Fund), the nation’s largest and most effective minority education organization, will step out for students at its 26th annual Walk for Education on Saturday, October 5, 2013, in New Orleans at the Audubon Park Riverview. This year’s Walk for Education, with a goal of $175,000, is a celebration of education that will bring together thousands of community supporters to raise essential funds to help support the educational mission of UNCF and its two historical member schools in New Orleans, Dillard and Xavier universities.

“In today’s economy, students need a college education more than ever to compete and succeed, and we as a country need them to have that education,” said Michael L. Lomax, Ph.D., President and CEO of UNCF. “By investing in our students’ futures now, we are providing them with a path to success that will pay future dividends for them, their families and communities, and for all of us as they become our next generation of leaders.”

“We would like to invite everyone in the Greater New Orleans community and surrounding areas to come out to the walk in support of our students and education,” said LaJuana Chenier, Regional Development Director for UNCF. “By supporting them now, we are giving them the education they need to have successful, secure financial futures and become the next generation of college-educated professionals, good citizens and community leaders. This is an exciting time as we hope to rally the New Orleans community around this educational mission at the 26th Annual UNCF Walk for Education.”

Families, educators and the community-at-large are invited to join in the UNCF Walk for Education. Participants can run or walk a 5K course through the scenic Audubon Park. Interested participants are invited to support UNCF and its students by forming a Walk For Education team or registering as individuals. UNCF encourages everyone to take advantage of early registration fees — $30 for adults and $15 for children 12 years of age and under.

UNCF awards 13,000 scholarships a year through 400 scholarships and other programs to students at 900 colleges and universities, including UNCF’s 37 Member Institutions.

This article originally published in the September 23, 2013 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.