Starbucks Partners with Arizona State University to Offer Online College Tuition to Employees

Starbucks is a business that has always found value in helping its employees gain an education, partnering with colleges and offering tuition reimbursement programs. Now Starbucks is helping its employees find even more value in education than ever before: the coffee chain announced that it has partnered with Arizona State University’s online program to offer substantial tuition coverage to all of its employees who work 20 or more hours a week. 

Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz announced the new online college tuition program in conjunction with ASU President Michael M. Crow and United States Education Secretary Arne Duncan. The terms of the program have Starbucks and ASU putting a $6,500 grant toward students’ first two years of college, leaving students to cover the rest with financial aid. It’s not exactly a full ride scholarship, but it’s certainly a boost.

You would think that there would be a catch to an offer like this – that students must stay on with Starbucks for a set amount of time after they finish their studies, or that they must only take courses in business or management or something else that might contribute directly to the Starbucks brand. But if you thought that, you would be wrong. Beyond the 20 hours per week requirement, employees only need to meet the requirements necessary to be accepted at Arizona State University (which just makes sense) in order to qualify. Aside from that, employees are welcome to study whatever they want and are welcome to pursue the career of their dreams as soon as they earn their degree. 

[SOURCE: http://www.buzzfeed.com/mbvd/starbucks-offers-online-college-courses-to-employees]