The Public Education Foundation (the Foundation) is proud to announce a partnership with Penn National Gaming, Inc. to create the Diversity Scholarship Program.
Since 1995, the Foundation has provided more than 6,500 students with approximately $19 million in college scholarships. In 2020, the Foundation awarded a record-breaking $2.8 million in scholarships to ensure students with financial need can afford to attend college or vocational school, and we are on track to award a similar amount in 2021.
The donation from Penn National Gaming, Inc. is part of the company’s commitment to promoting equity in post-secondary education opportunities by providing $1 million in funds for dependents of their team members who have financial need.
In Southern Nevada, Penn National Gaming, Inc. operates Tropicana Las Vegas and The M Resort.
Penn National’s Diversity Committee worked with the Foundation to create the Diversity Scholarship Program.
“Last year, amidst one of the most challenging times in our nation’s history and as the world grappled with an outpouring of racial and social anguish, we formed a new 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 Diversity Committee, which reports directly to me, is comprised of a broad range of team members, including those from underrepresented communities from around the country and at varying levels in our organization. It will ensure our Company has mechanisms in place to listen to team members about important ongoing social justice issues, and to help implement new initiatives such as this Diversity Scholarship Program.”
The scholarship program will offer both two-year and four-year scholarships, with annual awards valued between $2,500 and $10,000, to selected dependents of Penn National Gaming, Inc. team members through a competitive application process.
This philanthropic scholarship program will be funded by Penn National Gaming, Inc., but will be entirely managed and administered by the Foundation. Applications will be selected based on a number of criteria, primary among them financial need, academic performance and extra-curricular achievements.
“In this time of economic uncertainty, more families are struggling with the costs of students attending college. We appreciate that Penn National Gaming, Inc. has stepped up to invest in post-secondary education so that more students in need can realize their dreams,” said Judi Steele, Founder and CEO of The Public Education Foundation.
The online application form is open for eligible students to apply between now through April 24, 2021. For more details about these scholarships and the application process, please visit thepef.org/scholarships.
