A pair of glasses on top of books
Industry
PENN Entertainment Donates to STEM Education
By
Amelia Walker
Senior Content Writer
Updated: 27 December 2024
Amelia Walker Senior Content Writer
Amelia Walker is a Senior Content Writer at Betting.US. She has a law degree and deep knowledge of the gambling laws in the United States. Her mission is to keep players informed about responsible gambling, while her passion for sports helps her create useful guides. Amelia has over a decade of experience in betting, which has positioned her as a trusted voice among our readers.
PENN Entertainment is collaborating with the Harris-Stowe State University (HSSU) to launch a campaign promoting STEM education. It will donate $500,000 to the HSSU, which will be used to help students seeking a career in the field. Read on to learn more about this campaign and PENN Entertainment’s other programs.
PENN Entertainment and HBCU Scholarships
This donation is part of PENN Entertainment’s overall STEM scholarship program. It works with Historically Black Colleges and Universities to promote STEM education through scholarships and even offer internships to students. There are 35 establishments in the program, including Jackson State University in Mississippi and Norfolk State University in Virginia.
As a company at the forefront of technology, we launched this program as a way to increase access to STEM opportunities for HBCU students and create real-world, hands-on learning experiences.
Justin Carter Senior VP of Regional Operations for PENN Entertainment
The program was launched in 2021, with Penn Entertainment supporting it for five years and with over $4 million. This initiative is alongside the already established LEAP program, where students can get paid internships at the company, learn from industry experts, and work in different fields. Finally, PENN Entertainment donated $8 million to local charities and generated $17 million in economic grants.
PENN Collaborates with HSSU
The Harris-Stowe State University is one of the most recent additions to this program. It received a gift of $500,000 for its STEM Capital Campaign, which will help provide scholarships to students and construct a STEM building on campus. The university’s president has expressed thanks and believes the donation will help better prepare underrepresented students in St. Louis.
The new STEM facility and scholarship opportunities will enhance our ability to equip students with the tools they need to lead and innovate in an ever-evolving workforce.
Dr. LaTonia Collins Smith President of HSSU
The program will also help the 2030 Jobs Plan organized by Greater St. Louis Inc. It aims to help minorities find quality jobs and improve employer commitment to hiring local workers. There is also hope these students will transform the economy of St. Louis by working in fields like Fintech and AgTech.
PENN Releases Q3 Report
PENN Entertainment has also recently released its financial report for Q3 2024. According to its president, Jay Snowden, it earned a total of $1.6 billion in revenue, similar to last year’s revenue and within the company’s estimates. Demand for their retail products is stable, while online ones are doing better than expected.
Core business trends were stable through October, supported by our enhanced offerings and best-in-class retail sportsbooks.
Jay Snowden CEO and President of PENN Entertainment
Their Q4 is off to a great start, with markets like St. Louis, Ohio, and Michigan having a strong presence. Future development projects like the Hollywood Joliet are still on track, with the company also focusing on improving its ESPN Bet platform. The interactive segment’s overall revenue, including online sportsbooks, is $244.6 million.
Other Charity Initiatives
While PENN Entertainment has significantly helped various charities, many other organizations have similar programs. Hard Rock International recently launched its 12 Days of Giving initiative, donating over $50,000 to charities in Atlantic City. Meanwhile, Caesars Entertainment’s Caesars Foundation donated $3.1 million to charities like Boys & Girls Clubs of America.
There is an enormous community that chooses DraftKings every week of the NFL season to engage with opening kickoffs, final whistles and each play in-between, but we recognize the significance of our reach and platform to go beyond entertainment.
Matt Kalish President of DraftKings North America
DraftKings is another company that aims to promote education with its Tech for Heroes program, which helps military veterans gain high-tech job skills. It also hosts initiatives to raise funds for breast cancer research and works closely with organizations like Kindbridge Behavioral Health to fund research on problem gambling.
Conclusion
PENN Entertainment continues its commitment to the program and supporting communities. Aside from the various programs at HBCUs, it also donates to charity and supports other programs. Like many other operators, it is committed to helping students find jobs or start a career through internship programs.
You liked this article? Share it with your friends!