UNCF HBCU Empower Me Tour Hosted by Randal Pinkett and Friends Kicks Off for 2009-2010

UNCF HBCU Empower Me Tour Hosted by Randal Pinkett and Friends Kicks Off for
2009-2010

Targets 20 HBCUs, Inspiring Youth With a Call to Action, Impacting Our Nation
Through Education

FAIRFAX, Va., Nov. 4 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- UNCF-the United Negro College
Fund-the nation's largest and most effective minority education organization,
today announced the launch of its 2009-2010 HBCU Empower Me Tour hosted by
Randal Pinkett and friends. Targeting more than twenty historically black
colleges and universities (HBCUs), the tour will inspire and motivate youth to
use their education not only to enhance their professional growth
opportunities, but to improve the country. UNCF's HBCU Empower Me Tour will
focus on six topics: financial literacy, entrepreneurship, environment
sustainability, professional development, health and wellness, and service and
philanthropy. Offering students tools and advice on how they can play active
roles in their communities, this year's tour will feature numerous celebrity
speakers, entertainers, athletes, business and political leaders in a town
hall panel format.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080117/DC11749 )

"UNCF's HBCU Empowerment Tour builds on the long tradition of service to
communities and the country as a critical part of an HBCU education," said
Michael L. Lomax Ph. D., UNCF president and CEO. "UNCF is committed to
helping President Barack Obama meet his goal for our nation to regain world
leadership in the percentage of citizens with college degrees, not only to
enhance their professional prospects, but to prepare them to become the next
generation of good citizens and effective leaders."

The second year of UNCF's HBCU Empower Me Tour, which is produced in
partnership with the Wachovia Wells Fargo Foundation, kicked off at Johnson C.
Smith University on Tuesday, October 27th. The Tour will be hosted by ten
additional colleges and universities throughout the country, concluding in
April, 2010. Hampton University is the next tour stop on November 10th.
Johnson C. Smith University attendees participated in numerous informative
workshops and visited The Empower Me Tour Zone- an interactive experience for
middle school, high school and college students, providing them an opportunity
to meet with corporate recruiters, learn about volunteer and internship
opportunities, scholarships and win prizes. Students who have received UNCF
scholarships had the opportunity to be featured on "Empower Me TV", which will
be posted on the UNCF Empower Me Tour website. Also, Grammy-nominated R&B
singer Ledisi hosted a listening party from her latest CD "Turn Me Loose".

Earl Martin Phelan, CEO of Reach Out and Read led a special workshop on Social
Entrepreneurship as a part of the entrepreneurship track to encourage students
to leverage their personal interest into a socially conscious business.
Usher's New Look Foundation hosted a workshop on service and philanthropy with
a focus on Usher's Powered by Service Program, providing direct-youth grants
to seed service projects in communities across the country. Nicole Caldwell's
Health & Wellness "I AM GLAM" workshop highlighted self image and how it
impacts success and Dee Marshall led a professional development workshop
entitled "Soft Skills Savvy." Additionally, Wachovia, A Wells Fargo Company
led a Financial Literacy workshop which highlighted basic savings, budgeting,
and personal finance skills as well as careers in financial services while Fed
Ex led workshops on "Greening your Life, Green Collar Careers and What that
means for your campus."

A robust panel discussion entitled, "Passion...Purpose...Power" focused on
entrepreneurship. The panel was hosted and moderated by Randal Pinkett, winner
of NBC's "The Apprentice," and included fellow entrepreneurs two-time Grammy
Nominee Ledisi, celebrity make-up artist Nicole Caldwell, TV One's Makeover
Manor life coach Dee Marshall, attorney and radio personality Warren
Ballentine, and Comedian, and International President of Zeta Phi Beta
Sorority, Sheryl Underwood.

"Education is a passport to opportunity," said Pinkett. "It is important for
today's youth to understand the importance of a college education and how to
leverage it not only for self-improvement, but to build stronger communities.
An education is one of the most powerful investments we can make."

Sponsor representatives for the Empower Me Tour Zone and UNCF strategic
alliance partners Wachovia A Wells Fargo Company, Fed Ex, Raise The Bar, Just
Glam, The Black List Project and UNCF were on hand to share information with
students. For more information on the tour and for registration, visit
www.empowermetour.org.

About UNCF
UNCF--the United Negro College Fund--is the nation's largest and most
effective minority education organization. To serve youth, the community and
the nation, UNCF supports students' education and development through
scholarships and other programs, strengthens its 39 member colleges and
universities, and advocates for the importance of minority education. UNCF
institutions and other historically black colleges and universities are highly
effective, awarding 18 percent of African American baccalaureate degrees. UNCF
administers more than 400 programs, including scholarship, internship and
fellowship, mentoring, summer enrichment, and curriculum and faculty
development programs. Today, UNCF supports more than 60,000 students at over
900 colleges and universities across the country. Its logo features the UNCF
torch of leadership in education and its widely recognized motto, "A mind is a
terrible thing to waste."® Learn more at www.UNCF.org

About Randal Pinkett
Randal Pinkett is perhaps best known as the season 4 winner of NBC's hit
reality show "The Apprentice" with Donald Trump. Pinkett served as an
executive with Trump Entertainment Resorts in Atlantic City, NJ where he was
responsible for overseeing both renovation and information technology
projects. This Philadelphia native holds five academic degrees and made
history as the first African-American ever to receive a Rhodes scholarship at
Rutgers University. In addition to being a speaker, author and community
servant, Pinkett is the co-founder, Chairman and CEO of BCT partners, a
multi-million dollar management technology and policy consulting firm based in
Newark, New Jersey.

SOURCE United Negro College Fund

Joye Griffin of UNCF, +1-703-205-3480, Joye.Griffin@uncf.org