Sherina Maye Edwards, Advocate for Academics, Named Chair of 25th Annual UNCF Gala in Chicago

Sherina Maye Edwards has been named Gala Chair of the “25th Annual UNCF “A Mind Is…” Gala, which will be held on June 14, 2025, at the Geraghty in Chicago. For the 25th anniversary, the “A Mind Is…” Gala will be a flashback to its original theme, a Black & White Ball.

“As an alum of two Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Spelman College and Howard University School of Law, I am so proud to serve as Chair of the 25th Annual UNCF “A Mind Is…” Gala. Throughout its 80 years, UNCF-member schools have made a difference in the lives of hundreds of thousands of students, including mine. I am extremely dedicated to this cause and will work fervently to help the next generation of students, who are our future, attend college,” Edwards said.

“We are so excited to have Sherina Edwards as our Gala Chair this year. She is an awesome advocate for higher education, especially for students in need. She already has begun to lead the charge to raise funds to help deserving students,” said Lisa M. Rollins, UNCF Regional Development Director.

“Additionally, we are excited to return to the Black & White Ball theme this year.  Chicago has always loved this theme, and we look forward to excellent support for the gala’s 25th anniversary,” Rollins said.

The 25th Annual UNCF “A Mind Is…” Gala promises to be a festive affair with music, dancing, and exquisite fine dining. Plus, the black-tie event will be a sea of guests dressed in black and white formal wear. This year, the fundraising goal is $1 million.

Edwards said, “We set a high goal, and I intend to ensure that we reach it.”

From 2022 – 2023, UNCF awarded more than 500 scholarships to students in Illinois. Within the last year, UNCF has awarded $2.8 million in scholarships to Illinois students.

In addition to serving as a strategic advisor to several private equity firms, including Origami Capital and Red Arts Capital, Edwards currently sits on two publicly traded boards of directors: Northwestern Energy (Nasdaq: NWE) and Midland States Bank (Nasdaq: MSBI). She is the former President and CEO of INTREN, a subsidiary of MasTec, a $14B Fortune 500 utility infrastructure company, and the former Chief Strategy Officer of MasTec.

Additionally, Edwards served a five-year term on the Illinois Commerce Commission. She is nationally recognized for championing diversity and inclusion within the utility and energy sector and her leadership led to the creation of the Illinois Utilities Business Diversity Council.

In 2016, Edwards was appointed by President Barack Obama and U.S. Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx as Co-Chair of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Voluntary Information-Sharing System Working Group.

Edwards serves on the Board of Trustees of Spelman College, where she was a cum laude graduate with a B.A. in Psychology. She is also a graduate of Howard University’s School of Law, where she was a merit scholar.

UNCF’s iconic motto, now revised, still rings true…a mind is a terrible thing to waste but a wonderful thing to invest in™.

For more information and sponsorship opportunities, visit www.uncf.org/chicago or contact UNCF at 312-845-2200.