Whirlpool Foundation Supports Education with Employee Sons and Daughters Scholarships

by Jeff Noel, Corporate Vice President Communications, Whirlpool Corporation

Originally published in CSR News as a part of the #CSRTalkback Education Series

Every year, some 78 million children, teens and young adults prepare for that annual pilgrimage of back-to-school activities. As an empty nester, this time of year is special to me as I join in that emotional ritual of anticipation and excitement for all that a new school year brings.

Each summer the Whirlpool Foundation bestows several scholarships to the youth of Whirlpool Corporation employees. This year we will provide eighteen $24,000 Scholarships, thirteen $2,500 Honor Awards and seven $1,000 Incentive Awards to the best and brightest among high school seniors across Whirlpool locations, including our eight US manufacturing communities.

The Whirlpool Foundation was established over half a century ago with the intent of improving the quality of life in the communities where Whirlpool operates.  Starting in 1952, the Sons & Daughters Scholarship Program has provided more than 1,900 scholarships and honor awards totaling more than $16 million. More than 100 Whirlpool Foundation scholarship and award recipients are currently attending colleges and universities across the nation.

Whirlpool Corporation is committed to a Collective Impact model of helping others and we realize education serves as a core foundation for helping individuals, families and communities alike reach their full potential. It is for that reason I am extremely proud the Whirlpool Foundation provides these scholarships through a competitive selection process in which children of our over 22,000 U.S. Whirlpool Corporation employees are eligible to participate.

While each recipient has earned the scholarship, the real beneficiary is Whirlpool Corporation. We are immensely proud to have such talented young citizens serving as ambassadors for all that is special about our people and the collective legacy our predecessors have created for this company.  While Whirlpool Corporation is the largest home appliance company in the world, our values remain rooted in the small, family-owned business the Upton Family started almost 104 years ago.  We share in the pride our employees have for their children and are pleased in the way they, through their parents’ guidance, represent us in our communities and fine educational institutions across this land.

On behalf of Whirlpool Corporation, I’m honored to congratulate each of our 2015 Whirlpool Foundation Sons & Daughters Scholarship Program winners who serve as shining examples of what is so great about this country:

Amana, IA Operations

Cleveland, TN Operations & Customer eXperience Center

Clyde, OH Operations

Field Sales (Part of the Field Competition)

Findlay, OH Operations

Greenville, OH Operations (Part of the Field Competition)

Knoxville, TN Reporting Functions (Part of the Field Competition)

Marion, OH Operations

Tulsa, OK Operations (Part of the Field Competition)

Twin City Reporting Functions