By Morehouse College
Beverage leader Diageo North America has donated $1 million to Morehouse College, the nation’s only historically Black liberal arts college dedicated to educating men, to create a permanent endowment fund that will provide scholarships for talented students. The gift is part of a national initiative by Diageo to establish endowed scholarships at 25 HBCUs and will help Morehouse move additional highly-prepared graduates into the ranks of corporate leaders, innovators, and decision-makers.
Morehouse College President David A. Thomas said Diageo’s generous support for Morehouse and the HBCU community is an important investment in fostering diversity in higher education and in opening doors of opportunity. Diageo has also committed to building a national internship platform that will create a pipeline to help talented HBCU students enter the consumer goods industry, a sector that is working to increase minority representation throughout its ranks. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Black employees represent only 11 percent of beverage manufacturing workers. Eighty-five percent of employees in the industry are white.
As the national epicenter for thought leadership on civil rights, Morehouse is committed to helping the nation address racial inequities, which have created disparities in income, employment, health care, housing, and educational opportunities for people of African descent. Morehouse has a nationally acclaimed business program and is recognized for preparing men of color for managerial and executive leadership roles. The College is a top feeder school for Black men entering top-ranked MBA programs.
“Morehouse College develops men who are academically excellent and committed to leadership and service. This gift from Diageo will help more deserving students not only be able to graduate with a Morehouse degree, but also be equipped to lead and effect change in the national fight against systemic racism and inequities,” said David A. Thomas, president of Morehouse College. “We appreciate this generous donation from Diageo.”
The HBCU scholarship initiative was created with Diageo North America’s African Heritage Business Resource Group (A.H.E.A.D.) to focus on the priorities, actions, and partnerships that could make the most meaningful impact in the Black community. Twenty-four other HBCUs, including fellow Atlanta University Center Consortium member Clark Atlanta University, also received scholarship gifts from Diageo, the beverage leader announced Wednesday.
“We are proud to partner with these esteemed institutions and to do our part to help shape a more equitable society by providing opportunities for future leaders,” said Debra Crew, president of Diageo North America. “This initiative further deepens Diageo’s commitment to making a long term and sustainable impact on underrepresented communities.”
A Morehouse education is transformative in economic, social, and professional mobility. The College educates 2,100 students annually, 60 percent of whom come from families with household incomes of $40,000 or less. The scholarship will help to make a Morehouse education more affordable for students.
“This gift to Morehouse College will provide transformational opportunities for our students to pursue excellence as leaders, scholars, and future game-changers in their fields,” said Monique Dozier, vice president of the Office of Institutional Advancement. “We look forward to this partnership with Diageo and appreciate their investment.”
