SMITHFIELD, VA. – Five universities have been added to more than a dozen others participating in the Smithfield Foods Scholarship Program, which was launched 20 years ago. The newly eligible schools include: South Dakota State University, the University of South Dakota, Hampton University and Virginia State University.

The company is offering up to $7,500 per year to eligible dependents of Smithfield’s full-time and retired workers to go toward educational costs to attend the participating colleges and universities. The scholarship program was started in 2002 and applications for the 2022-2023 school year are being accepted. According to Smithfield, the need-based program has awarded $7.6 million with more than 1,200 scholarships since its beginning. The most recently added colleges and universities are part of a growing number of historically Black colleges and universities participating in the program.  

“We're excited to further diversify our longstanding scholarship program and welcome these new schools to our portfolio,” said Jonathan Toms, Smithfield Foods’ community development manager. “Our scholarship program underscores the responsibility we feel to support our more than 40,000 US team members and their families across America, and our efforts to expand the program reflect our commitment to promoting diversity, equity and inclusion in education.”

More information about participating schools and eligibility and application for the program is available at: Scholarships (smithfieldfoods.com). Applicants for the 2022-2023 school year must apply by May 15, 2022.