Penn Entertainment Tuesday announced an expansion of its Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Scholarship Program to include three Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU): Jackson State University in Mississippi, Prairie View A&M University in Texas, and Southern University and A&M College in Louisiana.
The Pennsylvania-based gaming operator launched the program in Nov. 2021 with Norfolk State University in Virginia, Bowie State University in Maryland, and Wilberforce University in Ohio.
Penn has committed more than $4 million over five years to fund STEM scholarships and offer internships to HBCUs in states where it operates.
“As a company at the forefront of technology, we launched this program as a way to increase access to STEM opportunities for HBCU students and create real-world, hands-on learning experiences,” said PENN Entertainment Senior Vice President of Regional Operations and Chairman of the Company’s Diversity Committee Justin Carter in a statement. “The addition of these three esteemed universities deepens our widespread support for HBCUs and expands our efforts to champion diversity, equity and inclusion in the communities where we operate. STEM careers make up a growing share of jobs in today’s economy, and we are committed to narrowing the representation gap in STEM fields and empowering students in this program for years to come.”
The Higher Education Act of 1965 formally defined HBCUs as institutions of higher education that were established before the Civil Rights Act of 1964 with the intention of primarily serving the Black American community.
Penn has committed more than $4 million over five years to fund these STEM scholarships with HBCUs in states where it operates and create internships.
The STEM scholarships and internship opportunities are in conjunction with Penn’s partnerships with 35 HBCUs across the country. The continuing collaborations are designed enable career opportunities at Penn properties and increasing participation in LEAP (Leadership Excellence at Penn Entertainment), a program providing training, mentoring, and experiences to new or recent college graduates interested long-term gaming industry careers.
