Visa continues its commitment to Black excellence.

The company has announced its inaugural class of the Visa Black Scholars and Jobs Program where 50 incoming first-year college students across the nation will receive mentorships, scholarships, and the chance to join Visa full-time after graduation.

This is yet another step forward as Visa works to prioritize inclusion and diversity.

“We are honored to recognize this group of extremely talented students and to support their educational aspirations through the Visa Black Scholars and Jobs Program,” said Kelly Mahon Tullier, Visa Executive Vice President, Chief Legal and Administrative Officer, and program mentor in an official statement shared with AfroTech. “At Visa, we believe that change starts with action and we are committed to advancing racial equality and closing the opportunity gap. Through this program, we are supporting a pipeline of diverse future leaders in the business and technology sectors.”

Created in partnership with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF), The Visa Black Scholars and Jobs Program has pledged $10 million over the course of the next five years.

For the inaugural year, 50 college students were selected from four-year institutions across the country including Brown University, Georgia Institue of Technology, Harvard University, Howard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Morehouse College, North Carolina A&T State University, University of Maryland Baltimore, University of Michigan, Yale University, and more.

“Today’s college-bound students are facing incredible challenges, with students attending and leaving institutions with more debt than ever before,” continued Dr. Harry L. Williams, President & CEO of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund. “The Visa Black Scholars are current and future changemakers of our society, and our hope is that we can provide those incredible students with the financial assistance they need to focus on what matters most. This program is even more critical in our current climate as we strive to create a more just and equitable society.”

Click here for more on the Visa Black Scholars and Jobs Program.