Walmart Inc. (NYSE: WMT) and Walmart.org today announced a trio
of additional shared value and philanthropic initiatives that build
on its strategy to advance equity in education, including:
- Three leading Historically Black Colleges and Universities
(HBCUs) - Morehouse College, North Carolina A&T State
University and Spelman College - will be added to the slate of
Walmart’s Live Better U (LBU) academic partners, in partnership
with Guild Education. Through the company’s LBU program, Walmart
pays 100% of college tuition and books. Approximately 1.5 million
part-time and full-time Walmart and Sam’s Club associates in the
U.S. are eligible for the program.
- Walmart teams up with Jackson State University in Mississippi,
pledging $2.4 million to focus on academic and career enrichment
and financial support.
- Walmart, through the Walmart.org Center for Racial Equity,
invests $3 million in a set of grants helping to strengthen the
traditional education system.
Walmart welcomes leading HBCUs to its Live Better U education
program
HBCUs were established with a principal mission to educate Black
Americans who were largely prevented from attending existing
colleges and universities. Today, they continue to welcome students
of all races, ethnicities and cultures. By adding these HBCUs to
its LBU program, Walmart is expanding access to new learning and
career pathways for associates.
“These new partners further demonstrate our commitment to create
a path for associates to learn, grow and discover their career
journey,” said Lorraine Stomski, senior vice president of learning
and leadership at Walmart. “As we work to become an even more
diverse employer, what better way to fill the pipeline of future
talent than with our own associates.”
More than 300,000 of Walmart’s associates are Black and African
Americans. According to a recent study, 18% of Walmart’s Live
Better U participants are Black, and Black associates who
participated in the Live Better U program at Walmart were 88% more
likely to receive promotions than non-participants.
Leaders from Morehouse College, N.C. A&T State University
and Spelman College had the following to say about the
partnership:
"Morehouse believes that a world-class education has the power
to transform lives by evolving an individual's talent and potential
into achievement and realized outcomes," said David A. Thomas,
Ph.D., Morehouse College president. "By extending our mission to
create leaders with disciplined minds as we educate Walmart
associates, we are helping to create the innovators who will move
the global economy forward."
“As the nation’s largest HBCU and the top producer of bachelor’s
degrees awarded to African Americans in North Carolina, we are an
economic catalyst serving both the state and the nation,” said
Harold L. Martin Sr., chancellor of N.C. A&T State University.
“This latest collaboration with Walmart expands our educational
impact by providing the knowledge and skills LBU students need to
build their careers.” (Note: Today’s announcement builds on the $5
million Equity in Education initiative launched in late 2020.)
“For 140 years, Spelman College has been a champion for lifelong
learning. We are excited to partner with Walmart to expand and
extend our offerings to adult learners who are looking to advance
their careers, elevate their expertise or explore new fields,” said
Mary Schmidt Campbell, Ph.D., president of Spelman College. “As a
liberal arts college that consistently leads in numerous rankings
from innovation and social mobility, to being the producer of Black
women scientists, we are looking forward to assisting Walmart
employees who seek to earn the credentials that will catapult
careers.”
Walmart has 65,000 associates who have participated in an LBU
program since its inception in 2018, growing by nearly 10,000 since
Walmart announced it would pay 100% of college tuition and books
for associates this summer. The full list of academic partners for
Walmart’s LBU program now includes Bellevue University, University
of Massachusetts Global (formerly Brandman University), Johnson
& Wales University, Louisiana State University online,
Pathstream, Penn Foster, Purdue University Global, Southern New
Hampshire University, University of Arizona, University of Denver,
Wilmington University, N.C. A&T State University, Morehouse
College, Spelman College and Voxy EnGen.
Walmart invests $2.4 million over three years with Jackson
State University
Walmart and Jackson State University (JSU), through a
partnership with JSU Athletics, are deepening their relationship
and focusing on three core pillars to benefit all students:
academic enrichment, career enrichment and financial support.
Walmart is pledging $2.4 million over three years, including
investing in case studies, an executive-in-residence program where
Walmart leaders will advise faculty on curriculum and lead
mentoring circles, and supporting key athletic initiatives
including rebuilding the practice field used by JSU athletes. The
partnership, initiated by head football coach Deion “Prime”
Sanders, is set to benefit all JSU students, including non-athletes
and student-athletes alike.
Walmart through the Walmart.org Center for Racial Equity
invests $3 million in grants
The Walmart.org Center for Racial Equity is announcing a $3
million investment in a set of education grants as part of the $100
million commitment announced last year to address inequity across
education, health, finance and criminal justice systems. An initial
focus of the center’s education philanthropic approach aims to
strengthen the post-secondary education system for Black and
African American students.
“Our work through the Walmart.org Center for Racial Equity
builds on our business and philanthropic efforts to advance equity
in education and seeks to shift the system for Black and African
American students,” said Kirstie Sims, senior director, Walmart.org
Center for Racial Equity. “These initial investments will help us
develop research on the barriers in the system, build capacity of
our nation’s HBCUs and strengthen the pathways between education
and in-demand careers.”
Walmart.org Center for Racial Equity investments include:
Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies – The
Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies will conduct
research on the barriers and gaps that exist within education and
training for economic advancement to provide insights on why
education pathways, such as college and industry certifications,
have not served as effective on-ramps to employment for Black and
African Americans, particularly in high-demand jobs like technology
and health care.
1890 Universities Foundation – The 1890 Universities
Foundation supports the U.S. 1890 land-grant universities - HBCUs
established through the Morrill Land Grant Act of 1890 with a focus
on agriculture and technology. The investment will build staff
capacity to prepare students for careers in fields such as
agriculture, healthcare and technology via four Centers of
Excellence across the 19 institutions. The 1890 Foundation will
also develop a broadband strategy to meet the needs of the
universities.
CodePath – CodePath (which aims to increase diversity in
tech by transforming college computer science education) will
partner with the 1890 Universities Foundation to serve more HBCUs
with an initial expansion of CodePath’s computer science and
technology courses to five of the 19 universities. With this
support, CodePath will also expand its mentorship, technical
interview practice and pre-internship services for students. This
investment aims to help strengthen the pathways for Black and
African American students between college and in-demand careers in
fields such as technology.
More information about the Walmart.org Center for Racial Equity
grants can be found here.
About Walmart
Walmart Inc. (NYSE: WMT) helps people around the world save
money and live better - anytime and anywhere - in retail stores,
online, and through their mobile devices. Each week, approximately
220 million customers and members visit approximately 10,500 stores
and clubs under 48 banners in 24 countries and eCommerce websites.
With fiscal year 2021 revenue of $559 billion, Walmart employs 2.2
million associates worldwide. Walmart continues to be a leader in
sustainability, corporate philanthropy and employment opportunity.
Additional information about Walmart can be found by visiting
corporate.walmart.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/walmart and on
Twitter at twitter.com/walmart.
View source
version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211021006025/en/
Media Contact - Media Relations (800)331-0085
Walmart (NYSE:WMT)
Historical Stock Chart
From Mar 2024 to Apr 2024
Walmart (NYSE:WMT)
Historical Stock Chart
From Apr 2023 to Apr 2024