Seventy-Five Students from 23 States and the District of Columbia Will Receive Mentorship and Opportunities for Internships and Full-Time Employment at Visa After Graduation
SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 1, 2023--
Following a successful first year, Visa (NYSE: V) announced the second class of its Visa Black Scholars and Jobs Program, awarding 75 incoming first-year college students with scholarship assistance for up to four years, ongoing learning opportunities and one-on-one mentorship with Visa team members throughout their college experience. Visa Black Scholars also will participate in a Black Scholars Summit and be offered opportunities for paid internships, and those who meet program requirements will be invited to join Visa full-time after graduation.
Since its August 2021 launch, the Visa Black Scholars and Jobs Program has supported 126 students as part of the company’s five-year $10 million investment in line with Visa’s inclusion and diversity efforts to drive lasting positive change.
“It has been inspiring to see the positive effects that the Visa Black Scholars and Jobs Program has had on our scholars and company,” said Michelle Gethers, Visa’s Chief Diversity Officer and Head of Corporate Responsibility. “In addition to scholarship assistance, scholars are offered opportunities to strengthen their educational and professional development. The Visa Black Scholars and Jobs Program is one of Visa’s many commitments to build our inclusive culture and purpose-driven change for generations to come.”
Through the program, Visa Black Scholars are given access to C-suite executives, industry leaders and the greater Visa community to expand their networks and professional growth. In June 2022, Visa welcomed the inaugural class to the first-ever Black Scholars Summit for a week of inspiring sessions, workshops and collaboration. Jonathan Whyte, scholar recipient from Winter Springs, FL, said that the opportunity “to hear the speaker’s insights into what they believe are the keys to their own success was really useful and will help me a lot in the future.”
“At Visa, we foster a people-centric culture of continuous growth, learning and development,” said Kelly Mahon Tullier, Vice Chair, Chief People and Corporate Affairs Officer. “As someone who is passionate about mentoring, enabling and inspiring others in their careers, it has been rewarding to see our scholars grow through the opportunities provided by this important program. Equally important are the lessons they have taught us along the way. The Visa Black Scholars and Jobs Program is a perfect example of how Visa is actively living our purpose to uplift everyone, everywhere.”
This summer, 32 scholars from the inaugural class will intern in Visa offices across the U.S., supporting all areas of the business, from software engineering and product development, to marketing, finance, and people teams.
Due to the U.S. program’s success, Visa has expanded to develop similar programs for diverse students in the United Kingdom, Spain, Brazil and South Africa. The Visa Scholarship Programme UK, Visa Scholarship Programme Spain, Visa Brazil Black Scholarship program and the Learnership Program in South Africa increase access to the necessary tools, knowledge, training and network opportunities for the next generation of diverse leaders.
The full list of the 2022-2023 second class of Visa Black Scholars is below:
Alabama
Eddie Robinson, Madison, AL
Arizona
Elijah Jenkins, Chandler, AZ
Arkansas
Aidan Leach, Little Rock, AR
Stacia Toney, Eudora, AR
California
Nancy Okeke, Carson, CA
Colorado
Brook Dagne, Aurora, CO
District of Colombia
Janiya Charity, Washington, DC
Florida
Toluwanimi Ajani, Tampa, FL
Jeremiah Paul, Naples, FL
Samuelle Pierre-Louis Cange, Tampa, FL
Blaine Sutton, Miramar, FL
Mya Watson, Brandon, FL
[High school senior], Palm Bay, FL
Georgia
Christopher Mcfadden, Kennesaw, GA
Brandon Scarlett, Kingston, GA
Savannah Scott, Ellenwood, GA
Donavan Slack, Stockbridge, GA
Joshua Thomas, Barnesville, GA
Jala Billings Turner, Lawrenceville, GA
Cassidee Jackson, Cumming, GA
Zayla Bryant, Lithonia, GA
Illinois
Anyiah Chase-Mayfield, Chicago, IL
Londyn Jefferson, Chicago, IL
Paige Prather, Chicago, IL
Amia Jackson, Joliet, IL
Indiana
Tyler Body, Indianapolis, IN
Bryson Shelby, Indianapolis, IN
Uriah Wade, Indianapolis, IN
Maryland
Ayomiposi Ajayi, Bowie, MD
Noah Alexander, Kensington, MD
Isaac Marks, Jr, Silver Spring, MD
Massachusetts
Christian Nichols, Brockton, MA
Michigan
Ife Martin, West Bloomfield, MI
Minnesota
Hanan Bedru, Woodbury, MN
Mississippi
Daniel Martin, Jackson, MS
New Jersey
Jada Coleman, Sicklerville, NJ
Tyler Neain, Union, NJ
Nia Plair, Westampton, NJ
Aydan Smith, Browns Mills, NJ
Ananda Daniel, Scotch Plains, NJ
New York
Ymorah Blakeney, New York, NY
Lisa Farley, Brooklyn, NY
Khalil Garrett, Levittown, NY
Victoria Horne, New Hyde Park, NY
Tymothi Howard, Webster, NY
Bema Konate, New York, NY
KyJahmy Phillip, Brooklyn, NY
North Carolina
Kamryn Green, Charlotte, NC
Joseph Hairston, Winston Salem, NC
Raven Heyward, Raleigh, NC
Taj Jones, High Point, NC
David Lampkin, Zebulon, NC
Olukiyesimi Omotosho, Raleigh, NC
Peyton Patterson, Concord, NC
Destiny Howard, Monroe, NC
Pennsylvania
Bryce Mathews, Pittsburgh, PA
Rhode Island
Cassidy Cole, Saunderstown, RI
Tennessee
Gabrielle Jones, Bartlett, TN
Avery Love, Chattanooga, TN
Carson Mire, Franklin, TN
Lauren Nichols, Collierville, TN
Texas
Michael Ayele, Sachse, TX
River Dunn, Dallas, TX
[High school senior], San Antonio, TX
Venessa Odera, Lavon, TX
Nathan Otchere, Spring, TX
Tatiana Tsasa, Houston, TX
Vanessa Yelder, El Paso, TX
Haymanot Gilliland, Austin, TX
Virginia
Oluwadamilola Awofisayo, Woodbridge, VA
Nardos Demilew, Burke, VA
Natania Elias, Springfield, VA
Nia Robinson, Keswick, VA
Washington
Tsion Debebe, Des Moines, WA
John Iwenofu, Tumwater, WA
About the Visa Black Scholars and Jobs Program
In partnership with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, the Visa Black Scholars and Jobs Program is designed for college-bound Black and African American students in the U.S. Eligible high school seniors who are pursuing an education in a business or technology field and intend to enroll as a full-time undergraduate in an accredited four-year college or university in the U.S. are eligible for this scholarship grant. Scholars who continue to meet the criteria, remain in good standing and maintain a minimum of 3.0 GPA at their university will be eligible for annual renewals. Learn more about Inclusion & Diversity at Visa.com/inclusion.
About Visa Inc.
Visa (NYSE: V) is a world leader in digital payments, facilitating payments transactions between consumers, merchants, financial institutions and government entities across more than 200 countries and territories. Our mission is to connect the world through the most innovative, convenient, reliable and secure payments network, enabling individuals, businesses and economies to thrive. We believe that economies that include everyone everywhere, uplift everyone everywhere and see access as foundational to the future of money movement. Learn more at Visa.com.
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Visa Media
Lindy Mockovak
lindy.mockovak@visa.com
Source: Visa Inc.