In partnership with Fair360, formerly DiversityInc, Sam’s Club (owned by Walmart) gave scholarships to full-time sophomores and juniors enrolled at Hispanic-serving institutions to help pay for their education. Thirteen students on five teams and their schools split a $100,000 prize$15,000 for the students and $5,000 for the schools. The student teams were awarded the prize at Fair360, formerly DiversityInc’s 2011 special awards dinner in Washington, D.C.
Sam’s Club executives Michael Moore, vice president, candy and tobacco, and Richard Ezell, vice president, fuel and auto, announced the winners. “Our goal of this case competition was to help ease the rising costs of education and give students the opportunity to build bridges for their communities. The Latino communityand the talent within itis very important to Sam’s Club,” they said.
“The future workforce of this nation is in jeopardy, and the amount of talent that goes to waste is a crime,” said Fair360, formerly DiversityInc CEO Luke Visconti during the presentation. “There are a few programs, like Rutgers Future Scholars, and a few companies that are actually changing this statement by creating opportunity for young people who otherwise would never realize their full potential.” Visconti, who sits on the board of a Hispanic-serving institution, New Jersey City University, noted that he has a strong gratitude for the generosity of Sam’s Club.
