Norfolk State University hosted 222 Smithfield Foods employees and family members at its home football game against Hampton University on October 13 to celebrate the start of a partnership between the school and the Smithfield-Luter Foundation.

The Foundation announced in June of this year that it would begin partnering with three new schools, including Norfolk State, to provide scholarships to the children and grandchildren of Smithfield Foods employees. The first group of scholarships was awarded in September.          

Scholarship winners and their families attended a pre-game reception in the President’s Suite with Dr. Carolyn W. Meyers, president of Norfolk State, and Dennis H. Treacy, executive director of the Smithfield-Luter Foundation. In addition, the university provided over 200 free tickets to the game for Smithfield employees.

One of the scholarship winners, Marjorie Javier, a first-year nursing student, spoke at the reception about how the Smithfield-Luter scholarship had changed her life. Along with her parents, Marjorie immigrated to the United States two years ago. She said that times were very difficult at first and the whole family had to work part time jobs. Marjorie wanted to complete her education, but did not have the resources to do so.

All of this changed when Marjorie’s father took a job with Smithfield Packing at the Portsmouth plant. The family now had health insurance and a higher income so that Marjorie did not have to keep working to help shoulder the load. Her father’s new job also made Marjorie eligible for the Smithfield-Luter scholarship, which she applied for and won in June of this year. Now, Marjorie is a stand out student at Norfolk State and well on her way to earning a degree in nursing.

“Because of Smithfield, now I have time to pursue my dreams because I do not have to worry so much anymore on how to help my family financially,” said Javier. “In short, Smithfield truly helps us to adjust in this big transition in our life.”

Other Smithfield-Luter scholars at Norfolk State this year were Glenn Dearing, John Sykes and William Ward.

The game was the annual “Battle of the Bay” against NSU’s main rival the Hampton Pirates. The Spartans held on for a 20-19 win, one of the biggest highlights of the team’s outstanding season.

For more information about the Smithfield-Luter Foundation and details about applying for scholarships, see the Foundation website at www.smithfieldluterfoundation.com.

This year’s recipients of Smithfield-Luter scholarships at Fayetteville State University were honored at a reception on Sept. 21 as part of the school’s “FSU Friday” festivities.

Chancellor Dr. Lloyd V. Hackley, who just returned to the post this fall after a long hiatus, met with four of the seven scholarship winners to personally congratulate them on their achievements. All freshmen, the students are majoring in a wide variety of disciplines, including nursing, psychology, mass communications, forensic science, and criminal justice.

In this first year of the scholarship program, the students were awarded an average of $3,500 toward tuition costs, according to FSU Development Officer Mary Bailey. FSU’s annual tuition is approximately $6,000 for full-time students.

Kayla Brianne of Elizabethtown who is studying nursing said she is thankful for the Smithfield-Luter scholarship.

“It is not often that people just decide to give you money,” she said. “Smithfield made it their business to make sure that their employees’ families received the same opportunity to go to college as everyone else.”

“The Smithfield-Luter Foundation scholarship has given me the opportunity to put forth more because now I don’t have to worry about how I am going to pay for the rest of my freshman year,” said Lawrence Thomas of Fayetteville, the youngest of three children and the first in his family to go to college. “The scholarship has taken a burden off of my shoulders.”
           
Other Smithfield-Luter scholars at Fayetteville State this year are Kandice Helton, Donisha McLaurin, Chayveon Page, Frankie Robinson, DeLaurence Rudd and Neisha Spivey.

The Smithfield-Luter reception was part of the school’s annual university day, called “FSU Friday, The Bronco Experience.” The half-day event was organized to give new and returning students, and members of the local community, the opportunity to meet professors, staff, and administration in a festive atmosphere. The program opened at Jeralds Stadium where the crowd was treated to a spirited music performance by the university’s marching band, an acrobatic routine by cheerleaders, and a flag presentation by the ROTC. After the ceremony, students gathered at the school commons for hot dogs and other refreshments provided by the Smithfield plant in nearby Tar Heel, N.C.

The Smithfield-Luter Foundation was founded by Smithfield Foods Chairman Joseph W. Luter III in 2002 to provide education scholarships to the dependent children and grandchildren of Smithfield Foods employees. Fayetteville State is one of three historically black colleges that were added to the scholarship program this year, along with Norfolk State University and Virginia Union University.

The universities administer the scholarship programs and make all decisions on awarding scholarships. In order to be eligible for the scholarships, applicants must be a dependent child or grandchild of a Smithfield Foods employee; demonstrate financial need; and be accepted by one of the partnership schools.
           
Dennis H. Treacy, executive director of the Foundation and vice president of environmental and corporate affairs for Smithfield Foods, said that the Foundation looks forward to a long future of involvement with Fayetteville State University.

“We feel strongly about educating our young people and believe it’s a critical part of making a community a better place to live, raise a family, word, and do business,” he said.