WASHINGTON, D.C. - Award-winning journalist and "Good Morning America" (GMA) co-anchor Robin Roberts will host Thurgood Marshall College Fund's (TMCF) 27th Annual Awards Gala in Washington, D.C., announced by its President & CEO, Johnny C. Taylor Jr., over 1,500 "Who's Who" from the Washington, D.C. area, and across the nation will attend one of DC's premier black-tie galas on Monday, November 16, 2015 at the Washington Hilton.

This year's Awards Gala theme is "Developing Minds... Delivering Dreams" - Celebrating the achievement of the country's foremost visionaries who have used their status to positively impact the lives of students attending publicly-supported Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). The historic Washington Hilton will provide th ideal backdrop to host an impressive A-list of congressional members, international dignitaries, corporate and educational leaders, and celebrities.

"Robin Roberts' 20 years-plus career of journalism excellence and poise, along with her unwavering dedication to education, makes her the perfect host for this year's Gala" said Taylor. "We are excited to have her celebrate with us as we pay tribute to those leaders who have made a difference in education and the communities in which we live."

After a courageous and public battle with breast cancer and MDS, Robin has been an active speaker for many charities and recognized with various awards and honors from organizations around the country, which TMCF felt made her the "perfect" host for the 27th Awards Gala. Robert leadership at GMA has allowed to win four EMMY Awards for Outstanding Morning Program. In 2014, she received the Walter Cronkite Award of Excellence in Journalism, was inducted into the Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame, and was named one of Glamour's Women of the Year.

"Every five seconds a student drops out of college usually because of money and TMCF continues to be a lifeline for many of the students," continued Taylor. "We are gathering the nation's most influential people in one room to celebrate HBCUs and raise money for nearly 300,000 students who are perched to be our next global leaders, having Ms. Roberts host this year's gala will most definitely help us meet our $5 million fundraising goal."

Proceeds from the event enable TMCF to continue its work as a critical link between providing students with opportunities to become part of a new generation of global leaders and employers wanting to tap into a wealthy pool of new diverse talent. Last year, TMCF's Gala brought in $4.1 million dollars, which allowed the organization to award close to 500 scholarships and internships; prepare 150 new and continuing teachers for classroom success; indentify and prepare over 1800 students from around the country for the workplace; and assist 97% of the TMCF scholars to graduate from college. For more information on TMCF or the gala, visit www.tmcf.org.