St. Thomas native Larry A. Griffith has been promoted to executive vice president for programs and student services, UNCF (United Negro College Fund) leadership announced recently.
“Thanks to the outstanding leadership of Larry Griffith, UNCF has become the nation’s largest provider of scholarships to students of color. UNCF annually awards more than 10,000 scholarships worth about $70 million and supports more than 60,000 students in its programs, services, and member institutions. His performance is exemplary and his commitment to supporting underserved students to go to and through college is unmatched. I am thrilled to announce his promotion and to support him in his continued success,” said UNCF President and CEO Michael L. Lomax.
Griffith previously served as senior vice president for UNCF programs and student services. In his new role, he continues to be responsible for innovation, program development, strategic management, evaluation and staff leadership and development for UNCF’s almost 400 scholarships, programs, internships and fellowships, according to the press release.
“I am humbled and deeply grateful to Dr. Lomax and UNCF’s leadership for the confidence they have shown in me to continue my work at a higher level for this great organization. No one achieves alone. I am thankful to my team and colleagues for their outstanding work and dedication in supporting me over the years. I am glad to be at UNCF and to have them as a partner as we work together toward realizing UNCF’s vision of a nation where all Americans have equal access to a college education that prepares them for rich intellectual lives, competitive and fulfilling careers, engaged citizenship and service to our nation,” said Griffith.
“For me, this is especially true at this time in the history of our nation when the bar has been set higher, and forces seem aligned to diminish the reality of and limit the opportunity for the expression and further development of Black excellence. The fight goes on!”
Under Griffith’s leadership, he has assisted UNCF to receive almost $500M in grants, including UNCF’s largest philanthropic, corporate gift in its 79-year history from Boston-based financial services leader Fidelity Investments to launch and manage the Fidelity Scholars Program, the press release stated.
On Jan. 17, Fidelity donated $190 million to UNCF as part of its $250 million Invest in My Education (ME)℠ initiative in support of the company’s long-standing commitment to financial education and inclusion, the release stated.
Between 2013 and 2023, Griffith led his team in awarding more than $957 million in scholarships and financial aid to more than 84,000 students across 1,600 colleges and universities, according to the press release.
Griffith joined UNCF in 2007 as vice president for the Gates Millennium Scholars Program, a $1.6 billion scholarship initiative funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation that is the world’s largest private scholarship program, it said.
Prior to joining UNCF, Griffith served as executive director for national higher education relationship development and assistant vice president for the Middle States Regional Office for the College Board, director of undergraduate admissions and freshman aid and assistant dean in the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Delaware, and associate director of admission and director of multicultural recruitment at Brown University, the press release stated.
Griffith was twice appointed by the Governors of Virginia to serve on the Board of Visitors of Norfolk State University. He currently serves on the National Commission on Asian American and Pacific Islander Research in Education (CARE). He is also a board advisor to Collegiate Directions Incorporated, and he has held several leadership positions in professional associations, including the boards of the National Scholarship Providers Association, the Potomac and Chesapeake Association for College Admissions Counseling and the National Association for College Admissions Counseling. He is a member of the William and Mary Alumni Association, and he is active in his community through his involvement and membership in civic organizations, the release stated.
Griffith holds a bachelor of science from the College of William and Mary and a master of education in educational leadership from the University of Delaware, it said.
