Silver Springs, MD/USA March 7, 2019: Campus of (HBCU) Howard University located in Washington, DC.

Sodexo, a food services and facilities management company, announced a $10 million scholarship initiative for its U.S. frontline employees and their dependents.  The program — administered by the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) - is for students to attend Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) that are partners with Sodexo or UNCF.

Eligible frontline employees and their dependents can apply for scholarships and receive up to $12,000 for tuition, books and other educational expenses. Scholarships will be awarded based on financial need and merit and dispersed directly to each student’s college or university this fall. UNCF will oversee the program and administer the scholarship funding. The program runs through 2030.

“Sodexo’s commitment to our HBCUs and the students they serve is outstanding, and we thank them for this new gift,” said Dr. Michael L. Lomax, president and CEO, UNCF, via Sodexo. “Diversity across all sectors of the U.S. economy is important, and our member institutions, along with all other HBCUs, add a significant boost to the annual American economic landscape — delivering a $14.8 billion impact each year. Ensuring that more students of color can attend our HBCUs and earn their degrees — while at the same time helping them bring vital economic impact for their communities, regions and states — brings a win-win for everyone involved. We look forward to continuing our partnership with Sodexo, and hope others like them will join us as well.”

Participating HBCU partner organizations for the 2021-2022 academic year include:

Alcorn State University

Bethune Cookman University

Central State University

Claflin University

Clark Atlanta University

Dillard University

Edward Waters College

Fisk University

Fort Valley State University

Gadsden State Community College

Grambling State University

Howard University

Jackson State University

Kentucky State University

Langston University

Lincoln University

Morgan State University

North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University

North Carolina Central University

Prairie View A&M University

Shaw University

South Carolina State University

Texas Southern University

Wiley College

Xavier University of Louisiana

For more information on the program, go to https://scholarships.uncf.org/.