Anheuser-Busch announced today a partnership with the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) to award 25 scholarships annually to Black students pursuing STEM majors applicable to careers in the brewing industry.
The UNCF Budweiser Natalie Johnson Scholarship program, named after the first Black female head brewmaster at A-B’s St. Louis production facility, will award $4,000 to each recipient. In addition to those awards, five intern scholars will receive paid internships in A-B’s brewing/supply division, and they will each receive $6,000 scholarship awards toward the final year of their degree programs.
In a press release, A-B said the 5-year commitment to the program shows the world’s largest beer manufacturer’s “continued support to promote diversity in the brewing industry by providing additional education and opportunities to bring more Black talent to Anheuser-Busch and encourage Black representation in brewing.”
“Anheuser-Busch has a strong foundation when it comes to addressing issues of racial inequality by promoting fundamental civil rights, education opportunities, and economic empowerment within the Black community,” Monica Rustgi, VP of marketing for the Budweiser brand, said in the release. “We’re proud of a 40+ year partnership with the UNCF in support of Black Americans, and we want to do even more to advance economic empowerment in the future.”
“UNCF has had a long-standing partnership with Anheuser-Busch, and this scholarship is aligned with the work we do on behalf of HBCUs and our students, and is inextricably intertwined with the ongoing Black struggle for our full citizenship rights, privileges and protections,” UNCF president and CEO Dr. Michael Lomax added in a release. “Partnerships like this one move all of us forward towards better futures for us all, and we thank Anheuser-Busch for investing in deserving, talented students who will help pay it forward for others.”
In addition to the launch of the scholarship program, A-B has released a short film, Brewing Change, which features Johnson, as well as former NBA star Dwyane Wade, who helped develop and co-found the Budweiser Zero non-alcoholic beer brand.
“I walked through the doors of Anheuser-Busch as an intern, excited and nervous. With lots of hard work and a desire to learn, I eventually became the first Black female senior brewmaster of our first and largest brewery,” Johnson said in a release. “Today, I am delighted and honored to continue forging a path for young people who can see themselves in my journey. There is still much to do, and I am immensely proud to be at a company that believes in diversity and is leading the way to bring about change.”
The A-B scholarship is among a handful of initiatives to help diversify an industry that has been predominantly populated by white men. Of the more than 8,300 breweries in the U.S., about 60 are Black owned.
Over the summer, Brooklyn Brewery brewmaster Garrett Oliver helped launch the Michael Jackson Foundation for Brewing and Distilling, which will provide scholarships and mentorship to Black, indigenous and people of color to pursue and continue brewing or distilling education.
Oliver discussed the program during an edition of Brewbound Frontlines and noted that in 30 years not one resume from an African-American applicant for a brewing job has crossed his desk at the Brooklyn Brewery. Oliver shared the ways he and Brooklyn are working to create more opportunities in the industry for underrepresented groups.
In August, Crowns & Hops Brewing co-founders Beny Ashburn and Teo Hunter launched the 8 Trill Pils Initiative, a fund that will support Black entrepreneurs in the craft brewing industry. The fund kicked off last month with a $100,000 grant from Scotland-based BrewDog.
Constellation Brands’ venture capital arm has also pledged to invest $100 million in beverage alcohol startups with Black founders over the next decade.
Additional details on the scholarship program can be found at Budweiser.com/brewingchange.