Penn National Gaming Launches STEM Scholarship Program With Historically Black Colleges and Universities
November 17 2021 - 2:00PM
Business Wire
Company Dedicates Over $4 Million to Fund STEM Scholarships
and Create Internship Opportunities at Penn National
Penn National Gaming, Inc. (Nasdaq: PENN)(“Penn National” or the
“Company”) announced today that it has launched a new Science,
Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (“STEM”) Scholarship
Program in partnership with Historically Black Colleges and
Universities (“HBCUs”) in states where it operates. Through this
initiative, Penn National will dedicate more than $4 million over
five years to fund STEM scholarships and internship opportunities
at the Company. The initial participating HBCUs include Norfolk
State University in Norfolk, Virginia, Bowie State University in
Bowie, Maryland, and Wilberforce University in Wilberforce,
Ohio.
“Last year, we formed the Penn Diversity Committee to help put
our Company’s longstanding support of diversity and inclusion into
action,” said Jay Snowden, President and CEO of Penn National. “The
Committee, which reports directly to me, includes a broad range of
team members from underrepresented communities and at varying
levels in our organization. Their guidance led to the Company
launching a $1 million annual Diversity Scholarship Program for
children of Penn National team members in furtherance of the
Company’s commitment to equity in post-secondary education
opportunities. This year 58 scholarships were awarded to eligible
candidates, 57% of whom are first-generation students.
“The hard work of our Diversity Committee continues to help
identify opportunities for new initiatives, including today’s
announced commitment towards STEM scholarships and internships for
students at HBCUs. Increasing access to STEM opportunities for HBCU
students is another important step to promote social and economic
equity, as well as diversity, inclusion and belonging. Penn
National is well positioned to be North America’s leading digital,
entertainment, sports content, gaming, and technology company, and
we look forward to supplementing these scholarships with real-life
technical skills development for the STEM internship
recipients.”
Penn National’s commitment to fund STEM scholarships and
internship opportunities is an extension of the Company’s
established partnerships with 33 HBCUs across the country. The
ongoing collaboration with HBCUs facilitates career opportunities
at Penn National’s properties while increasing participation in its
Leadership Excellence at Penn National Gaming (“LEAP”) Program,
which provides hands-on training, mentoring, and real world
experience to new or recent college graduates who are interested in
building a long term career in the gaming industry.
“We are incredibly proud of our partnerships with HBCUs across
the country,” said Justin Carter, Senior Vice President of Regional
Operations for Penn National and Chairman of the Company’s
Diversity Committee. “The STEM Scholarship Program is another
important step in narrowing the representation gap in STEM fields
among certain underrepresented communities.”
About Penn National Gaming
With the nation's largest and most diversified regional gaming
footprint, including 43 properties across 20 states, Penn National
continues to evolve into a highly innovative omni-channel provider
of retail and online gaming, live racing and sports betting
entertainment. The Company's properties feature approximately
50,000 gaming machines, 1,300 table games and 8,800 hotel rooms,
and operate under various well-known brands, including Hollywood,
Ameristar, and L'Auberge. Our wholly-owned interactive division,
Penn Interactive, operates retail sports betting across the
Company's portfolio, as well online social casino, bingo, and
iCasino products. In February 2020, Penn National entered into a
strategic partnership with Barstool Sports, whereby Barstool is
exclusively promoting the Company's land-based and online casinos
and sports betting products, including the Barstool Sportsbook
mobile app, to its national audience. In addition, in October 2021,
Penn National acquired Score Media and Gaming, Inc. (“theScore”).
Combined with the power of Barstool Sports, Penn National is now
well positioned to be North America’s leading digital,
entertainment, sports content, gaming and technology company.
Barstool’s wide top of funnel audience reach is highly
complementary to the news, scores and stats available on theScore’s
best in class media app, which will create a one-stop destination
for the sports fan that does not exist today. The Company's
omni-channel approach is further bolstered by the mychoice
loyalty program, which rewards and recognizes its over 24 million
members for their loyalty to both retail and online gaming and
sports betting products with the most dynamic set of offers,
experiences, and service levels in the industry.
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Eric Schippers Senior Vice President, Public Affairs Penn
National Gaming 610/373-2400
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