MasterCard employees bought themselves some casual Fridays, some seats from the old Yankee Stadium and helped send students to college.
The MasterCard Manhattanville College Scholarship was established in December 2011. It has received the first installment for the scholarship fund, $20,000.
MasterCard employees donated through two fundraisers. In the Purchase headquarters, employees were able to wear jeans every Friday during the summer when they donated a minimum of $5 a week. They were able to prepay the donation at a discounted rate. Every donation of $25 or more was eligible for a dollar”“for”“dollar match with the Matching Gifts program. There was also a year-end event where employees made donations and bid on auction items including Yankee Stadium seats from the old stadium, MasterCard gift cards and Priceless Experiences at Jazz at Lincoln Center and the NY Botanical Gardens. Priceless experiences entitle the donors to various benefits at the events they attend.
Donna Johnson, chief diversity officer at MasterCard, said the first recipient will get $5,000 and a paid summer internship at MasterCard Global Headquarters. MasterCard will continue to make donations during the course of the year through various fundraising programs.
“It”™s important to us to support the education and development of a diverse group of future leaders,” Johnson said. “We take our corporate citizenship seriously and believe we have a responsibility to support our communities. The establishment of this scholarship fund is just one example of how our work can benefit the community we serve. This scholarship is a way for MasterCard to make higher education a little more affordable.” In addition, she said, “A diversity of talent, backgrounds, and ideas spurs business and innovation.”
