College Tuition for Starbucks Veteran Employees and Their Families
By Debbie Gregory.
Starbucks is further demonstrating its good corporate citizenship by paying tribute to the families of their employees who have served in the U.S. Military.
The Coffeehouse giant is extending its college scholarship program to cover the spouses and children of veteran employees. In addition, it offers active military workers up to 80 hours of paid service leave.
In a first-of-its-kind collaboration with Arizona State University, the company offers all part- and full-time benefits eligible U.S. employees full tuition coverage for every year of college to earn a bachelor’s degree. Now, the partnership between ASU and Starbucks is being extended to spouses and children of Starbucks U.S. veteran employees. This is an opportunity for them to pick any of the more than 50 undergraduate majors the ASU online campus offers.
In 2013, Starbucks, along with the Schultz Family Foundation, pledged to join forces across the public, private and non-profit sectors to hire, honor and strengthen the military community and to spark a renewed spirit of responsibility for citizenship in America. Two years in, the company has hired more than 5000 veterans and military spouses, passing the halfway goal to hire 10,000 veterans and military spouses by 2018.
“We have a responsibility as a nation to honor our veterans and their families for their service and sacrifice, but it goes beyond saying thank you,” said Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz.
Starbucks recognizes the value of a college education, and wants to put that goal in the grasp of its employees. So far, the existing Starbucks College Achievement Plan has been taken up by more than 4,000 employees.
The extension of the college plan to veterans’ families will affect up to 5,500 Starbucks employees who are veterans or the spouses of military members.
Military Connection salutes and proudly serves veterans and service members in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Guard and Reserve, and their families.
