This Essential Program Will Expand to Nine New Cities Across the U.S. to Help Overcome the Impacts of the Pandemic on Staggering College Enrollment and Completion Rates for Black and Hispanic Students. Program Aims to Offer Holistic Support to Students Beyond Tuition to Truly Reduce Barriers to Completion Including Professional Mentoring, Financial Literacy Courses, Success Coaches and Support For Eligible Living Expenses
San Antonio, Texas (November 10, 2021) — Today, PepsiCo and its philanthropic arm, The PepsiCo Foundation, announced the expansion of The PepsiCo Foundation Community College Program to nine new community colleges to include the Alamo Colleges District.
With this expansion, the program aims to provide over 1,400 scholarship opportunities for Black and Hispanic students across the country by the end of 2022. Currently active in Chicago, Dallas, Westchester, and Houston, the program is expanding to:
- Los Angeles Community College District (Los Angeles, CA)
- Miami Dade College (Miami, FL)
- Wayne County Community College District (Detroit, MI)
- Atlanta Metropolitan State College (Atlanta, GA)
- Ivy Tech Community College (Indianapolis, IN)
- Maricopa Community College District (Phoenix, AZ)
- Valencia College (Orlando, FL)
- Alamo Colleges District (San Antonio, TX)
- Prince George’s Community College (Largo, MD)
Launched in March 2021, this $40 million program supports incoming community college students and graduating students transitioning to four-year colleges. The program aims to address the historical barriers that often make it challenging for minority students to enroll, persist, and graduate from college. The pandemic is posing even more obstacles for Black and Hispanic college students, resulting in a staggering decline in student enrollment and degree completion. The PepsiCo Foundation’s investment seeks to create equitable access, especially for students who rely on community colleges for economic mobility. To ensure that these students not only get to college, but have the resources and support they need to complete, this comprehensive program aims to support 4,000 Black and Hispanic students over five years by providing professional mentoring, financial assistance for tuition and eligible living expenses like childcare and transportation.
“Black and Hispanic students are facing an unprecedented educational crisis as enrollment rates continue to decline and dropout rates increase, often because of financial needs outside of tuition. Students need more than scholarships – they need support to stay in school, finish their degrees and access the job market,” said C.D. Glin, Global Head of Philanthropy, PepsiCo & Vice President, The PepsiCo Foundation. “We launched this program to help students address the most critical barriers to their education and economic success, and we’re proud to announce today that we’re bringing more students in and helping them on their academic journey.”
The PepsiCo Foundation’s Uplift program is designed for students seeking associate degrees or professional certificates that are not often covered by federal student aid. Students receive financial assistance and services designed to support their continued enrollment, including dedicated success coaches, access to emergency grants and financial literacy programs to empower them with the resources and knowledge for making sound financial decisions. Scholarship applications are accepted on a rolling basis and eligible students can apply directly with all 13 partner schools.
“We are honored to be part of this remarkable initiative by The PepsiCo Foundation, “ said Dr. Mike Flores, Alamo Colleges District Chancellor. “This scholarship opportunity will transform lives for many of our students through the power of education. I applaud the PepsiCo Foundation for having the vision to propel our most marginalized students to success. The credentials students earn at the Alamo Colleges are the key to providing them with the economic and social mobility that ensures a better future for them and their families.”
As a leading global corporation, PepsiCo recognizes the value that a diverse workforce can bring to any organization and is committed to helping expand economic opportunities for Black and Hispanic communities through its wider Racial Equality Journey, a more than $570 million commitment over the next five years which will support Black and Hispanic people, businesses, and communities in the U.S. to address issues of inequality and create opportunity.
PepsiCo efforts to date include a $50 million commitment over five years to support Black-owned businesses primarily through Pepsi Dig In, a multi-faceted platform that encourages consumers to support Black-owned restaurants as well as provides resources to restaurateurs through the Black Restaurants Deliver program, a no-cost service that helps owners boost online ordering and delivery capabilities; The PepsiCo Foundation’s Black Restaurant Accelerator, a $10 million program with the National Urban League to provide support to 500 Black-owned restaurants around the U.S. over the next five years; and Doritos SOLID BLACK™, a $5 million multi-platform initiative designed to bolster the voices of Black innovators and creators.
Similarly, PepsiCo recently launched Juntos Crecemos, a $50 million platform to strengthen Hispanic-owned businesses over the next five years, with a key part of that platform being The PepsiCo Foundation’s IMPACTO Hispanic Business Accelerator, which is providing $10 million in funding to 500 Hispanic small food and beverage business owners in 13 U.S. cities. PepsiCo’s global commitment to advance food security through collaboration in communities where we live and work, Food For Good, also provides jobs and nutritious food access for Black and Hispanic communities.
More information about PepsiCo’s Racial Equality Journey can be found online at pepsico.com/about/diversity-and-engagement.
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About The Alamo Colleges District
At the Alamo Colleges District, high quality education and affordable costs provide exceptional value to students and alumni who are major contributors to the economy and culture of the community.
About PepsiCo
PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers more than one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated more than $70 billion in net revenue in 2020, driven by a complementary food and beverage portfolio that includes Frito-Lay, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Quaker, Tropicana, and SodaStream. PepsiCo’s product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including 23 brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales. Guiding PepsiCo is our vision to Be the Global Leader in Convenient Foods and Beverages by Winning with Purpose. “Winning with Purpose” reflects our ambition to win sustainably in the marketplace and embed purpose into all aspects of our business strategy and brands. For more information, visit www.pepsico.com.
About The PepsiCo Foundation
Established in 1962, The PepsiCo Foundation, the philanthropic arm of PepsiCo, invests in the essential elements of a sustainable food system with a mission to support thriving communities. Working with non-profits and experts around the globe, we’re focused on helping communities obtain access to food security, safe water and economic opportunity. We strive for tangible impact in the places where we live and work—collaborating with industry peers, local and international organizations, and our employees to affect large-scale change on the issues that matter to us and are of global importance. Learn more at www.pepsico.com/sustainability/philanthropy.
