Cierra Lemott 
Going to college and obtaining a degree is a goal for many. It opens the door for career opportunities, connections, and more. As great as college can be, the cost is what deters many from going or finishing.
Financial aid is a resource that enables students to be able to attend college while paying significantly less for tuition, but it doesn’t eliminate costs entirely. Scholarships are another valuable resource and there are many that cater to different ethnic backgrounds as well as majors that students choose.
Conagra Brands (a well known food company that represents brands such as Reddi-Wip, Healthy Choice, and Duncan Hines) has donated $125,000 to both the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) and the Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF). These scholarship funds cater to students of color. Their objectives are to lessen the financial burden that attending college causes students. This enables students to put more focus on academics and building skills rather than how they’ll be paying for it.
Along with their generous monetary donation, Conagra Brands has also provided scholarship recipients with extra resources such as “resume building assistance, job interview preparation, and additional workplace readiness experiences.” Receiving scholarship dollars is definitely helpful, but also receiving additional resources that will set you up for success is even more amazing.
“Conagra is committed to advocating for Black and Brown students in their educational pursuits. A significant barrier to higher education remains its cost. Our partnerships with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund and Hispanic Scholarship Fund will help overcome that barrier to ensure equity and education go hand-in-hand,” said Henry Jones, Senior Director of Diversity and Inclusion at Conagra Brands.
It’s always great to see those who have resources giving back to those who aren’t as fortunate. It would be nice to see more companies continue to follow this trend. Giving these resource to students of color in need will be helping them in the present as well as in the long run.
For more information about applying for the Thurgood Marshall College Fund or the Hispanic Scholarship Fund visit their websites.
By Cierra Lemott, Sophomore, Columbia College Chicago
Instagram & Snapchat: @cece.kodak
