ServiceMaster and the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation (CBCF) have teamed up to start two new programs that will benefit women and minorities pursuing bachelors degrees and wishing to start their own businesses.
The non-profit organization and the cleaning company will award scholarships to cover tuition expenses as well as the costs and licensing associated with opening a franchise.
The CBCF will give out its first annual ServiceMaster Environmental Studies Scholarships to two African American students next fall. Rising seniors enrolled in a college degree program in environmental science, or a related field, are eligible for the awards. The company will give each winner a $10,000 award, which can be put toward tuition at a campus or online college.
Environmental science online degrees include programs such as a bachelor’s in Environmental Policy and Management or in Environmental Science Organizational Management.
The initiative is intended to “provide more educational opportunities for minority students” while promoting environmental initiatives, said J. Patrick Spainhour, ServiceMaster’s CEO.
In addition, the organization will aid in the selection process for ServiceMaster’s Shane Battier Minority Franchise Scholarships. Through this program, the company awards female and minority entrepreneurs franchise licenses and grants to cover the opening and equipment costs and of its new locations.
The program began last year, when 10 scholarships were given to women and minorities starting their own business with the company. With the help of the CBCF, ServiceMaster provide funding to 24 qualified budding entrepreneurs over the next three years. The awards will total $2.3 million.
Both programs aim to “reduce disparities in education and economic development” in order to create “a diverse, global workforce,” said Elsie L. Scott, president and CEO of CBCF.
These initiatives are two of many offered by the CBCF, which provides several scholarships to further its mission of expanding the influence of African Americans in the political, legislative and public policy sectors. This includes a scholarship that they offered last year in partnership with the University of Phoenix to students seeking to get online degrees to “advance educational opportunities for underrepresented and nontraditional groups in higher education,” according to the program flyer.
Kendrick B. Meek, the organization’s chairman, said the CBCF chose to partner with ServiceMaster to “[provide] our next generation of leaders and entrepreneurs in environmental science with the opportunities they need to grow and succeed.”
Those wishing to further their education to pursue entrepreneurial endeavors may consider getting an online bachelors or masters degree in fields such as business, marketing or accounting to give them a competitive edge. An online education can help working adults gain marketable skills without disrupting an already busy schedule.
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