Success Stories

Hundreds of thousands of students succeed in college with assistance from the Thurgood Marshall College Fund and it’s programs. These are a few of their stories.

Brandon Wright

Tennessee State University communications major Brandon Wright will be spending the spring and summer in Hershey Park Pennsylvania interning for Hershey - his second internship secured through his attendance at the Leadership Institute and Recruitment Fair. Brandon was also a featured at the 24th Anniversary Dinner, providing an inspiring student testimony about his experience with the Leadership Institute

Ronald McNair

Ronald Erwin McNair was born October 21, 1950, in Lake City, South Carolina to Carl and Pearl McNair. Growing up, he spent summers working in the local cotton and tobacco fields and later, graduated valedictorian of Carver High School in 1967. He maintained a passion for his studies throughout college, graduating magna cum laude from North Carolina A&T State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in physics in 1971, and was initiated into Omega Psi Phi Fraternity. At 25, McNair enrolled in the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology where he earned a Ph.D. in physics and achieved his 5th degree black belt in karate.

David King

David King is a proud alumnus of Albany State University who firmly believes that capitalizing on the right opportunities when presented is critical to navigating the pathways to success. In the fall semester of his junior year, just prior to completing the requirements for his Bachelor of Science degree in computer science with an emphasis in mathematics, he received the opportunity to attend the 7^th annual Thurgood Marshall Leadership Institute. The three-day event served as a springboard, launching David into the hands of potential mentors and recruiters from many of the largest and most powerful companies in the world.

Ryan Chappell

Ryan Chappell is a recent Marketing and Global studies graduate of North Carolina A&T State University. When Ryan set his goal to land a full-time position at a reputable company, the Thurgood Marshall College Fund Leadership Institute seemed like the perfect opportunity. At the Leadership Institute, Ryan got an opportunity to polish his professional networking skills. Being around so many accomplished professionals inspired him to constantly pursue education and set higher goals. As part of Shell Oil Products U.S.A.’s leadership development program, Ryan is currently an Associate Product Manager for Shell Oil Products US, in Houston, TX. In this role, he is responsible for assessing and negotiating contracts for unbranded fuels for a multi-million gallon business. In addition, he has invested extra time to participate in a mini rotation with Shell Canada to hone his skills of investment planning in the retail space.