Arizona State-Starbucks educational program reaches 10,000-graduate milestone

In a partnership between Arizona State University (ASU) and Starbucks Corp., more than 10,000 students have graduated through a tuition-based program that was established in 2014 and then expanded in 2017.

Starbucks College Achievement Plan covers full tuition for employees who are eligible to receive benefits from Starbucks and wish to complete their bachelor's degrees online through ASU. The goal is to graduate 25,000 students by 2025.

In announcing this milestone, ASU President Michael Crow stated that "In Starbucks we found an organization who shared our fervent beliefs in the power education and our passion to nurture individual achievement." "ASU knows that degree completion is essential to social mobility. That's why we are committed to using all of our assets to create new pathways to graduation for everyone, at any age.

Starbucks employees who have completed the Starbucks College Achievement Plan (SCAPS) are free to explore other career opportunities. However, many of them will stay on and progress within the company.

Starbucks employees can enter ASU's Global Freshman Academy for $49 and earn college credit.

SCAP participants represent more than 20% of first-generation college students. Starbucks has students enrolled in ASU's 140+ online degree programs. According to a press release, more than 80% of Starbucks have employees who attended college via the program.

ASU and Uber formed a partnership in 2018 to cover 100% of tuition costs. Since the partnership's creation, nearly 700 students have graduated from this program.