Drink maker endows $10 million to Grambling, Xavier, Dillard, others

More than two dozen HBCUs including Louisiana’s Grambling, Dillard, and Xavier universities have received part of a $10 million funding from  Diageo North America. The goal is to change the complexion of the beverage industry and build opportunity, said officials.

The funding creates a permanent endowment fund and provide financial aid grants to talented students across different disciplines and majors.

Diageo North America is a leading premium drinks business and maker of Crown Royal, Ciroc, Smirnoff, Baileys, and others. The company will provide opportunities for HBCU students to gain valuable work experience at a fast pace that could help them with their future career aspirations or jump-start their career in the consumer goods industry. It includes the creation of Innovation Hubs at select HBCUs and internship platform.

The program provide funding at Alabama A&M University, Alabama State University, Bowie State University, Clark Atlanta University, Delaware State University, Dillard University, Fisk University, Fort Valley State University, Florida A&M University, Grambling State University, Hampton University, Harris-Stowe State University, Howard University, Jackson State University, Kentucky State University, Morehouse College,  Morgan State University, Norfolk State University, North Carolina A&T University, North Carolina Central University, Tennessee State University, Tuskegee University, University of Virgin Islands, Winston-Salem State University, and Xavier University.

Each university decides scholarship requirements. At Grambling, for example, The Diageo Endowed Scholarship Fund will be used to provide scholarships to at least 10 students each year. Students must be

• African heritage
• enrolled in an academic program
• currently pursuing a degree in any major (but preference will be given to engineering, chemistry, marketing, and communications majors)
• maintaining a 2.75 grade point average
• meeting the University’s general scholarship requirements (e.g. academic standard, code of conduct).