MasterCard Worldwide—Investing in the future through education
MasterCard Worldwide supports several organizations that share our commitment to education for young people. And like MasterCard, these groups value diversity and learning while promoting a greater understanding of our global economy.
Our investment involves financial support as well as human resources—corporate contributions
are frequently augmented with the volunteerism of dedicated employees who donate their time
and expertise.
Junior Achievement Worldwide
Hispanic College Fund
United Negro College Fund
UNICEF
The JA Global Marketplace curriculum contains volunteer-driven activities that emphasize social studies,
mathematics, reading and writing. Aimed at 11- to 13-year-olds, the program encourages students to analyze
both historical and current events and international business concepts and practices, with an emphasis on
recent technological advances and how they facilitate trade and improve productivity. This program engages
students with important concepts about world trade, such as cultural exchange in trade relations, and how
trading with other countries affects them on a daily basis. In 2005 MasterCard helped launch JA Global
Marketplace in five countries.
MasterCard executives support the JA relationship through their participation on the JA Worldwide board of
directors as well as on local JA chapter boards. And MasterCard employees in New York and St. Louis have
participated in local JA in a Day activities, serving as JA classroom volunteers. Learn
more about the experiences of MasterCard employees in St. Louis who have worked with over 6,000 children
through Junior Achievement (click here for a video). For
other information, visit www.ja.org
“MasterCard is a wonderful supporter of JA Worldwide and our efforts to bring business and economic
and entrepreneurship educational programs to young people around the world. JA Worldwide wouldn’t be able
to accomplish our mission without the extraordinary support of MasterCard International, which realizes
that educating and inspiring young people today will result in their success as the workers—and leaders—of
tomorrow.” David S. Chernow, President and CEO, JA Worldwide
MasterCard has worked with the Hispanic College Fund for over a decade, providing direct scholarship support
to more than fifty Hispanic college students. In 2004, the MasterCard Hispanic Excellence Award
was launched to provide assistance to promising young Hispanic scholars. MasterCard also contributed funding
for the technology to enable the HCF to host its scholarship application process online, making it more
accessible and easier for students to apply. For more information, visit
www.hispanicfund.org.
“MasterCard has consistently demonstrated its commitment to the Hispanic community by providing scholarships
to high-achieving Hispanic students and showcasing what can be accomplished through hard work and the desire to
succeed.” J. Fernando Barrueta, President & CEO, Hispanic College Fund, Inc.
“Scholarships provided by MasterCard have a great impact on the UNCF’s goal to increase degree attainment
among minority students. For the 65,000 students supported by UNCF, a college education is ‘priceless.’” Dr. Michael Lomax, President & CEO, United Negro College Fund
MasterCard has awarded several grants in support of UNICEF’s education programs—including $100,000 to fund an
education proposal and $30,000 from MasterCard’s Colombia office to assist local schools.
Most recently, MasterCard was pleased to continue its relationship with UNICEF by supporting two important
educational initiatives. The 25 by 2015 program was created to address the 120 million
children—the majority of whom are girls—currently not in school. 25 by 2015 aims to get children in the 25
most affected countries in school by 2015. The Lesotho Program for Orphans will help
ensure that 5,000 primary schoolchildren orphaned by AIDS in this South African nation will have school
supplies for a year.
“UNICEF believes education is the best investment any society can make for the health and well-being of
its children, as well as its economic and social progress. MasterCard’s investments in UNICEF’s education
programs—whether supporting the strengthening of education in Latin America, ensuring children orphaned by
AIDS in Lesotho have access to a quality education or helping girls gain access to school around the
world—have truly made a difference in children’s lives.” Charles J. Lyons, President, U.S. Fund for UNICEF
Junior Achievement Worldwide
As a global organization, MasterCard understands and appreciates the value of learning about other economies
and cultures. That’s why we were proud to underwrite JA Global Marketplace, a new program
that debuted in middle school classrooms across the U.S. in September 2004.
Hispanic College Fund
The Hispanic College Fund, a private nonprofit national organization, is dedicated to developing the next
generation of Hispanic professionals in America by awarding scholarships to deserving Hispanic students.
The organization works with companies and individuals to help students pursue higher education in academic
disciplines leading to careers in business, science, engineering and technology.
United Negro College Fund
The MasterCard Scholars Program with the United Negro College Fund is an annual scholarship
program for talented and deserving students. Since the program was launched in 2001, MasterCard has helped
more than 25 college juniors and seniors attend and graduate from one of the UNCF’s 39-member historically
black colleges and universities. Preference is given to those living in the New York metropolitan and St.
Louis metropolitan regions, and who are majoring in business, finance, accounting, marketing or information
technology. For more information, visit the
MasterCard Scholars Program.
UNICEF
A longtime supporter of the U.S. Fund for UNICEF, MasterCard has committed over $1 million to the organization
through a combination of corporate giving, cause-marketing, and retail promotion activities.
Read about MasterCard’s forum on Education, Community and Business.