Colgate-Palmolive Announces New Inspire our Future Scholarship
Ten $10,000 awards available to advance diversity, equity and inclusion
February 2022
Colgate-Palmolive Company announced in February its new Inspire our Future scholarship, designed to encourage and support Black and African American students who demonstrate a sustained commitment to supporting their communities. Ten recipients will be selected to receive an annual award of $10,000.
“Inspire our Future will help give underrepresented students across the U.S. the opportunity to thrive.”
Inspire our Future is an exciting addition to Colgate-Palmolive’s efforts to advance diversity, equity and inclusion by supporting scholarships and grants for education and research.
Of the ten Inspire our Future scholarships, five are designated for students pursuing degrees related to manufacturing, engineering, or supply chain and five are designated for those pursuing degrees related to sales or marketing.
“Our company is reimagining a healthier future for all, and our DE&I efforts are central to that purpose,” said Derek Gordon, Colgate-Palmolive’s Chief DE&I Officer. “Inspire our Future will help give underrepresented students across the United States the opportunity to thrive.”
Eligible applicants include current college sophomores and juniors who self-identify as Black or African American and who meet the criteria as specified here for students pursuing careers in manufacturing, engineering or supply chain or here for students pursuing careers in sales or marketing. Awards are renewable for up to two years or until a bachelor’s degree is earned, whichever occurs first. Recipients can use funds not only towards tuition at an accredited college or university, but also for other educational expenses like on-campus housing, textbooks, laptops and more.
Inspire our Future is sponsored by Colgate-Palmolive’s North America Division. “We’re honored to be able to add this new scholarship to the Company’s existing offerings - all geared towards advancing DE&I in education,” said Jesper Nordengaard, President, North America, Colgate-Palmolive.
To administer the Inspire our Future scholarship, Colgate-Palmolive is working with Scholarship America, a non-profit organization that partners with students, parents, colleges, businesses, and communities to help students fulfill their college dreams. Students can apply online through March 21, 2022. Colgate-Palmolive’s selection committee will interview select applicants and notify recipients the week of June 13, 2022. Awards will be disbursed to the recipients' schools in August 2022.
Inspire our Future is Colgate-Palmolive’s latest education-focused DE&I scholarship, building on existing offerings that include four recent additions in partnership with UNCF, which the Company has supported since 1944; Harvard School of Dental Medicine’s Freeman, Grant, Franklin Scholarship; the Colgate/National Dental Association Foundation Trailblazers in Oral Health Research Scholars of African-American Heritage (TORCH) program and the “Audacity To Dream" scholarship program.
