(BLACK PR WIRE) – MIAMI GARDENS, FL (JULY 18, 2011) – Florida Memorial University (FMU), South Florida’s only historically black college or university (HBCU), received national recognition when the Tom Joyner Foundation (TJF) selected it as the July 2011 HBCU of the Month. Aimed specifically at helping HBCUs, the TJF provides financial support for students to complete their college education. Through July 31, FMU will collect funding from across the United States supporting scholarships for high-achieving students at the school.

“The foundation is really happy to work with Florida Memorial University,” said Tom Joyner, nationally-syndicated radio host and the foundation’s chairman. “The university has a wonderful history and this foundation is all about making sure students are able to stay in school.”

Established in 1998, the Tom Joyner Foundation’s mission is to support HBCUs and help students continue their education. Each month, it designates an HBCU to receive its support. The scholarships will be awarded to students through the Office of Financial Aid at FMU based on financial need and other requirements. “I grew up believing there was nothing I could not achieve,” added Joyner. “My grandparents, my brother, my sons and I are all graduates of HBCUs. Kids need to know that HBCUs are not merely options; they are answers.”

Throughout the month, people interested in financially supporting FMU can visit the foundation’s page on www.blackamericaweb.com to donate online. The scholarship monies will support deserving students at FMU, including Kendrick Stevenson, a sophomore political science/public administration major with a 4.0 GPA, and Christopher Orr, a junior airway science management major maintaining a 3.8 GPA.

“Florida Memorial University is ecstatic to be selected as the Tom Joyner Foundation’s HBCU of the Month,” said Dr. Henry Lewis, III, president of the university. “The foundation’s support plays a direct role in our mission to offer exceptional opportunities to talented students who might otherwise be unable to afford college.”

For more information on this honor and how to support students at Florida Memorial University, please contact the Office of Institutional Advancement at (305) 626-3609.

About Florida Memorial University:

Florida Memorial University is a private, undergraduate and graduate degree-granting institution located in Miami Gardens, Florida. Florida Memorial’s history and traditions date back to 1879. With a new president with a new vision, the University is building upon that legacy and transforming it from good to great. In fact, its legacy of determination and accomplishment has made it one of Florida’s longest surviving centers of academic excellence. Offering 41 undergraduate degree programs and four graduate degree programs, Florida Memorial is a culturally diverse institution that is committed to transforming lives and helping to create a future for people from many races, ethnicities, countries, religions and socio-economic backgrounds. The university is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, the Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs, the National Association of Schools of Music, and the Council on Social Work Education. Strong moral character, mutual respect, freedom of worship and a commitment to serve are the hallmarks of what it means to be a Florida Memorial Lion. For more information, please contact the Office of Public Affairs at (305) 626-3624 or visit www.fmuniv.edu.