Washington, DC, Sept. 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- UNCF is pleased today to announce Dr. Shawn B. Thomas has joined the organization as our new Director of Investment Leadership Programs.

Dr. Thomas will have principal responsibility for the execution of Project ACCLAIM (Accelerating Learning in Asset Investment Management), a groundbreaking initiative designed to cultivate a robust pipeline of students from historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) entering the financial services sector. Recently launched at Morehouse College and Howard University, this ambitious program was made possible by a transformative $10 million gift from Adage Capital Management and Elizabeth and Phill Gross.

Dr. Thomas will manage the next phase of the program, which includes selecting additional schools for the next cohort. She has brought more than three decades of senior leadership experience across higher education, banking and finance, operations and organizational management. 

Her professional journey includes serving as vice president/faculty and content lead at Knopman Marks, where she successfully delivered licensing training sanctioned by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) and North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA) and partnered with HBCUs to prepare students for careers in finance. She has also held senior leadership positions at SunTrust Bank, Wells Fargo and BB&T, as well as key academic leadership roles at Trevecca University, Ohio Christian University and Atlanta Unbound Academy.

In addition to her extensive leadership record, Dr. Thomas holds a doctorate in organization and management with a specialization in management education, an Executive MBA in International Business and a bachelor’s degree in business economics from Florida A&M University.

“We are confident that Dr. Thomas’s blend of academic rigor, financial acumen and proven ability to lead complex initiatives will help ensure the success of Project ACCLAIM,” said Ed Smith-Lewis, senior vice president, Strategic Partnerships and Institute for Capacity Building, Career Pathways Initiatives, UNCF.

“She is deeply committed to strengthening student pathways, supporting institutional innovation, and delivering on the ambitious vision of this partnership.”

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About UNCF
UNCF is one of the nation’s largest and most effective supporters of higher education and serves as a leading advocate for college-bound students. Since its founding in 1944, UNCF has raised more than $6 billion to support students' access to higher education, provide scholarships and strengthen historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). Each year, UNCF awards more than 11,000 scholarships totaling more than $62 million. The scholarships support students attending more than 600 US-based colleges and universities including 37 UNCF-member HBCUs. Through its efforts, UNCF has helped generations of students to get to and through college. We believe a college education plays a vital role in fortifying the pipeline of leaders and professionals who contribute to the advancement of our society. Our logo features the UNCF torch of leadership in education and our widely recognized trademark is, ‟A mind is a terrible thing to waste.”^® Learn more at UNCF.org or for continuous updates and news, follow UNCF on Instagram.

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• Dr. Shawn Thomas, director, Investment Leadership Programs, UNCF

Roy Betts
UNCF
240.703.3384
roy.betts@uncf.org