North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory next week will become State Honorary Chair of the United Negro College Fund (UNCF), which supports five Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) across the state. Those institutions are Johnson C. Smith University (Charlotte), Bennett College for Women (Greensboro), Shaw University (Raleigh), Saint Augustine’s University (Raleigh) and Livingstone College (Salisbury).

Governor McCrory continues the tradition of North Carolina Governors serving as the UNCF’s State Honorary Chair, as every Governor since James G. Martin has done so. He will kick off his chairmanship by serving as the keynote speaker for UNCF’s annual Governor’s Luncheon on Wednesday, March 20, at noon on the campus of St. Augustine’s University in Raleigh.

Governor McCrory recognizes the need to support students at the five UNCF schools across the state of North Carolina, many of whom are the first in their families to attend college and who would not have the opportunity for a college degree without the help of the UNCF.

“In today’s competitive economy, higher education is a critical need for our workforce. The work of UNCF helps prepare more of our minority youth for the jobs of the future that will bring our state forward, and I am proud to support their efforts,” said Governor McCrory.

Marilyn Baldwin Richards, North Carolina UNCF Director, says that the UNCF is pleased to partner with Governor McCrory to help empower the institutions, families and students who benefit from the important help provided by UNCF.

For more information, call 704-377-8625 or email ncinfo@uncf.org.