Wal-Mart Scholarships
Community-Focused Corporate Giving
Wal-Mart is one of the largest corporate retailers in the U.S. in association with its Sam’s Club membership outlets, as well. A family-owned corporation, Wal-Mart has been putting down roots in small and large towns and cities across America for the last two decades and now is a power to be reckoned with. Perhaps a true measure of the company’s influence is its ability to draw criticism from all kinds of media and citizen’s groups for such allegations as discrimination to issues of low pay, among others.
Corporate Responsibility
Wal-Mart Good Works is the philanthropic arm of the corporation. The foundation dedicates employee sweat and energy as well as large sums of corporate money to local and regional community projects and organizations particularly where they exist. This is the quintessential commitment to "act locally, think globally." Wal-Mart Associates, or employees, are given educational and career opportunities as part of the corporate responsibility plan. Between Forbes and Fortune magazines, Wal-Mart has been hailed as a leader in "philanthropic" giving and other admirable characteristics often difficult to maintain in a huge corporate environment.
Wal-Mart Raft of Scholarships Offer Something for Everyone
Wal-Mart currently maintains four distinct scholarship programs in their focus on educational responsibility:
- The Associate Scholarship is a need-based award available to employees. Applicants may have a GED or high school diploma and be able to demonstrate both financial need and educational motivation. Besides tuition, money awards may be used to defray the costs of textbooks, on-campus residential expenses and food plans.
- Sam Walton Community Scholarships are designed for students in a community with either a Sam’s Club or Wal-Mart store. Applicants must submit applications with a local store number attached. This program is not open to employees or their dependents and eligible candidates must have a high school diploma or equivalent.
- Higher Reach Scholarships are also designed for Associate-employees, but the selection is not primarily based on need, but academic motivation and potential for success. Applicants are not eligible until after a full year of employment. The selection committee is unassociated with Wal-Mart for the sake of fairness. Up to a maximum of $2,000 is awarded per academic year.
- Wal-Mart Family Foundation Scholarships are awarded to dependents of Associates. Up to $10,000 may be granted for a four-year program and winners are chosen on the basis of financial need, academic merit and extracurricular activities.
