Building on more than a decade of ongoing support for the Military Appreciation Tailgate event, Walmart and Sam’s Club have deepened their longstanding relationship with the University by stepping forward with $30,000 in scholarship funding to benefit Penn State students who are connected with the armed forces. The expanded philanthropic commitment was guided by Walmart’s community outreach program and marks a major milestone in efforts by Walmart, Sam’s Club and Penn State to ensure families associated with military service have the resources to succeed throughout their educational journeys.
“Walmart has always been invested in building safe, strong and vibrant communities, but we consider it a special obligation and a privilege to support military families as they pursue the credentials they need to thrive both while in uniform and throughout their transition into civilian life,” said Michael del Rosario, regional transportation manager for Walmart. “We are eager to see the impact these scholarships will make in clearing financial obstacles and powering educational success.”
The influx of funding will generate 24 scholarship awards of $1,250 each and will be distributed in their entirety to recipients during the current academic year. Eligible recipients include prospective or enrolled students with documented financial need who are or are the dependents of active duty service members, National Guard members, veterans or members of the Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC). The scholarships are intended to bridge gaps in funding for tuition costs that are not fully covered by the GI Bill and to open doors to first-generation college students.
The gift was formally presented at the 12th annual Military Appreciation Tailgate at the Bryce Jordan Center on Oct. 28, where Penn State President Neeli Bendapudi was on hand to publicly commend Penn Staters who have served and sacrificed.
“It’s a pleasure to see Penn State and local community members come together along with Walmart through this annual partnership to recognize veterans, service members and military families,” said Bendapudi. “Because of this generosity, the military appreciation tailgate is among the largest in the Big Ten with thousands who attend each year. I thank all the individuals who volunteer their time to support this celebration and to serve those who have served our country.”
2023 marks the 11th year Penn State has benefited from Walmart’s support for Military Appreciation Week, a collaboration which began on the second Military Appreciation Football Game in 2013. Due in large part to Walmart’s participation, the event now far exceeds the scope and scale of any comparable event in the Big Ten Conference, with between 300 and 400 Walmart associates — along with spouses and children — volunteering to cook for and serve as many as 8,000 to 10,000 attendees. As it has in years past, Walmart also provided all tailgate meals at no cost to the University. The event’s food and festivities were complemented by live entertainment from the 28th Infantry Division band and Blue in the Face, Penn State’s co-ed a cappella group.
“I feel profound gratitude for all that Walmart has done over the last decade to pay tribute to and support the extraordinary military service men and women who also call themselves Penn Staters, and this newest commitment to the Penn State Military Student Fund doubles down on that generosity,” said Eugene McFeely, senior director for Veterans Affairs and Services. “Walmart and Sam’s Club have truly distinguished themselves as tremendous partners to the University and steadfast allies to our military-connected families.”
Walmart’s gift to support Military Appreciation Week and the Penn State Military Student Fund represents one part of a broad effort to assist military-connected families at events throughout the region, including an annual event at the Pennsylvania Military Museum to support the 28th Infantry Division. Nationwide, Walmart spent more than $1.1 billion on veteran-owned businesses last year and hired more than 66,000 veterans and military spouses — bringing its 10-year total hiring to more than half a million. In addition, to strengthen support for veterans as they reintegrate into their local communities, Walmart has invested more than $44 million since 2011 in specialized job training, education and innovative public and private community-based initiatives.
Walmart.org — the official name for the entity making the gift — comprises Walmart, Sam’s Club and the Walmart Foundation, which together last year provided more than $1.7 billion in cash and in-kind annual giving.
The Office of Veterans Affairs and Services at Penn State is committed to supporting military-connected students by enabling their access to all aspects of higher education and empowering them to succeed while at Penn State and as they transition to post-education endeavors. In 2019, the Student Veteran Center opened in the renovated Ritenour Building. The modernized 6,300-square-foot center consolidated and expanded services to provide assistance with GI Bill benefits, transition-to-college programs, peer-to-peer mentoring and support, and counseling resources.
Donors and philanthropic organizations like Walmart and Sam’s Club advance the University’s historic land-grant mission to serve and lead. Through philanthropy, alumni and friends are helping students to join the Penn State family and prepare for lifelong success; driving research, outreach and economic development that grow our shared strength and readiness for the future; and increasing the University’s impact for families, patients and communities across the commonwealth and around the world. Learn more by visiting raise.psu.edu.
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