LTC Harold R. Payne Change Maker Award

LTC Payne’s uncompromising pursuit of excellence and desire to help others have been hallmarks throughout his life. As a teen, he was no stranger to hard work, holding jobs such as fruit picker, lawn and maintenance worker, septic tank cleaner, garbage truck jockey, and crawl space inspector. Taking pride in being the son of New Jersey’s first African American Chief of Police, LTC Payne soon began his own series of “firsts.” He was the first in his family to attend college, and he made the most of it—graduating from Hampton University, earning a commission in the United States Army as a Distinguished Military Graduate, completing the Army’s prestigious Command and Staff College, and serving in many key leadership positions. LTC Payne used his skills to shape Army policies and procedures while also impacting the lives of those he encountered. He retired at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel after more than 28 years of dedicated military service.

In addition, LTC Payne answered God’s call and was ordained to minister the gospel in 1990. Matthew 19:26 serves as his assurance and motivation.

The LTC Harold R. Payne Change Maker Award honors students who seek to use their leadership skills to cultivate sustainable change and make a lasting difference in the lives of others.

Eligibility Criteria:

• Record of community volunteerism (outside of school-related activities)
• High school graduate (Current Year)
• Pursuit of a public service degree
• Planned enrollment at a Historically Black College or University (HBCU)
• Minimum 2.3 GPA