Henkel Expands Racial Equity Scholarships, Internships

Henkel North America has expanded its scholarship and internship programs for Black, Hispanic and Indigenous students with a $1 million investment to provide financial aid and internship opportunities to dozens of students. Organizations including the United Negro College Fund (UNCF), the Hispanic Scholarship Fund, Pathways to Education Canada, and the American Indian Science and Engineering Society are all partners of the initiative and will receive funds. 

“The pandemic has exacerbated existing financial, familial, and technological barriers to higher education that impact underrepresented students the most, which could limit their opportunities in the workforce for years to come,”  said Steven Essick, president of Henkel North America, in a recent media release.

The Henkel scholarship and internship programs for Black, Hispanic and Indigenous students are an extension of Henkel's long-standing commitment to education and increasing young people's access to career opportunities in the United States and Canada. 

Since 1981, Henkel has been administering the Henkel Corporation Scholarship Program to provide financial support to the children of its employees in North America. Earlier this year, Henkel launched the Henkel Diversity Scholarship Program as part of the company's commitment to “creating a more diverse pipeline of future workers and closing the equity gap by providing access to education for local students,” according to the company. 

These scholarships are offered to students from underrepresented populations across the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico in need of financial assistance. To date, Henkel has awarded more than $2.5 million in scholarships to over 800 students through its overall scholarship and internship programs.

"Henkel Canada's investment in Pathways to Education will support Indigenous youth across Canada to graduate from high school and realize their full potential," said Quinn Bingham, vice president and chief development officer of Pathways to Education Canada, in the release.

Sekou Biddle, vice president for advocacy and student professional development programs, UNCF, added: "We look forward to working together and hope to find new ventures that support our common goal — getting more students of color to and through college successfully."