The Tom Joyner Black College Scholarship Fund is the vehicle the foundation uses to lend financial assistance to deserving students attending historically Black colleges and universities around the country, all of which are dear to the Joyner family. Frances and Hercules Joyner, now a retired accountant for the local Veteran's Administration Hospital, both graduated from historically Black universities, Tennessee State and Florida A&M, respectively. Tom and Albert are Tuskegee University alumni. Thomas Joyner, Jr. graduated several years ago from Howard and his brother Oscar is a recent MBA graduate of Florida A&M.

Tom, Jr. (left)  is now the Foundation's CEO where his father serves as president and other family members, including Oscar (right), Albert and Hercules Joyner, the foundation's treasurer, serve as board members. "Money is raised several ways," says Tom Joyner,
Jr. "Each month listeners are encouraged to call 1-900-255-GIVE where a $15 donation will be charged to their phone bill (of which $10 goes towards the school). Listeners can also give more or less than $15 by sending personal checks and money
orders (no cash) to P. O. Box 630495, Irving, TX, 75038." 

After running into William H. Gray, III, president and CEO of the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) at a social event shortly after the March 1998 scholarship launch, Tom Joyner, Sr. says Gray indicated his desire to have UNCF supplement his
fund-raising efforts with a $.50 UNCF match. The partnership is a godsend says Joyner. "UNCF is in the business of doing what I am trying to do. They've been in that business for over 50 years. They know what they're doing; I'm in the radio business. So, along with the donation of $.50 for every $1, we get the support of an organization that's in the business of raising money." 

William H. Gray, III, president and CEO of the United Negro College Fund. 

There is a difference in focus between the two programs. While the Joyner scholarship drive will eventually raise funds for all historically Black public, private and land grant colleges and universities, UNCF limits its annual support to approximately 40 private schools. UNCF also grants scholarships to African- American students, regardless of the school they attend. In an effort to reflect the partnership, the Joyner program has since been re-named the UNCF/Tom Joyner Black College Scholarship Fund. And, as he has the last several years, Joyner recently co-hosted UNCF's nationally televised annual fund-raising gala, An Evening of Stars.

Now, after the money is collected at the end of each month, it's forwarded to UNCF  for match and then awarded to the featured college or university. According to foundation trustee Janyce Brannon, 12 schools have benefited financially thus far
from the fund, which had raised $358,328 as of March 24, 1999. They are Howard, Florida A&M, Tuskegee, Grambling, Xavier, Tennessee State, Norfolk, the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, Meharry, Miles, Morgan State, and Central State. Each month a new school is chosen and so long as the money goes to someone who is already in school, each school is responsible for determining student requirements for receiving the assistance. 

"So often people get scholarships and it's good for only a year," says Joyner Sr. "Then they're left with trying to find more money because the cost of school is very high. More people go to school and run out of funds before they can graduate than
those who can go straight through without a need for more money. School just costs a lot of money."

Small and large corporations, including the Black McDonald's Owners and Operators ($7,000) and Coca-Cola ($5,000), also make donations from time to time. Other donors have included Steve McNair, quarterback of the Tennessee Oilers ($1,000)
and Tavis Smiley, the host of cable television's BET Talk. Smiley, who is also a commentator two days a week on Joyner's radio show, last year released a collection of his most well-known Tom Joyner Morning Show commentaries entitled On Air:
The Best of Tavis Smiley on the Tom Joyner Morning Show. Partial proceeds from the book ($4,000) have also been donated to the UNCF/Tom Joyner Black College Scholarship Fund. And beyond corporate interest, the fund enjoys the support of small $5- and $10-givers, some of whom regularly send in their donations, sometimes in money order form, regardless of which school is featured. 

The schools that gain the most benefit from the UNCF/Tom Joyner Black College Scholarship Fund, says Brannon, are those that get alumni involved and enthusiastically take advantage of the fund-raising opportunity being offered. Plans are currently underway to feature Southern University, Edward Waters, Bethune-Cookman, Johnson C. Smith, Hampton, Winston-Salem, Jackson State, and Lincoln University in Chester County Pennsylvania throughout the remainder of 1999. Eventually every historically Black college and university will get its turn.