Friend, Brianna Lewis is a recent graduate from Philander Smith University—a UNCF-member institution—where she received a bachelor’s degree in elementary education.

Brianna comes from a long line of educators, and that very same path called to her. She worked tirelessly to build the foundation for a successful career, and because of UNCF scholarships, she was able to graduate almost entirely debt free.

When you donate toward our $250,000 year-end goal before midnight, Dec. 31, you’re helping more students like Brianna access higher education in 2026. But with time running out, we’re still very short. So please, will you make a tax-deductible gift to UNCF today to help more students get to college, thrive and graduate?

While at Philander Smith, Brianna became a UNCF Ambassador, offering K-12 students some of the same scholarship opportunities that had changed her life. The experience cemented her love of “behind-the-scenes” work in education—and today, she is pursuing a master of science degree in instruction science and technology at California State University, Monterey Bay.

There are so many other talented and deserving students like Brianna who are eager to receive a college education and achieve success. But in 2026, it will be that much harder for students due to significant cuts recently made to Pell Grants and Parent PLUS loans.

That’s why reaching our $250,000 end-of-year goal is so important, but we need your help to close the gap before 2025 is over. Please donate to UNCF now to help us support more students in the new year—because “A mind is a terrible thing to waste.”^®

Thank you,

UNCF