Schools in Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, South Dakota and Virginia receive funds

SMITHFIELD, Va., Oct. 4, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Smithfield Foods awarded more than $740,000 to 13 schools in seven states to fund educational scholarships for the 2023-2024 school year.

The scholarships are need-based and awarded to eligible dependents of full-time and retired Smithfield employees. Students can receive up to $7,500 annually in scholarships to participating colleges and universities for four years.

Sandibel "Sandi" Sandoval, the daughter of Vincente Sandoval who has worked in Smithfield's Denison, Iowa, facility for 15 years, funded her education via the Smithfield Scholarship Program. She is the first in her family to attend college and recently graduated from Iowa State University. Sandoval spoke about the impact the scholarship had on her family in a recent video, available here.

"The thought that my dad works for a company that doesn't just support him but also his family is great," Sandoval said. "They've helped him out more than what I can imagine a company would help out, and it's been great to have that kind of support system for me and my dad. When Smithfield says "Good is What We Do," they truly do mean it."

Smithfield has awarded more than 1,600 educational scholarships totaling nearly $9 million since launching the program in 2002.

For additional information about participating schools, academic programs and individual scholarship application processes, visit smithfieldfoods.com/scholarships.

Smithfield offers good pay and comprehensive benefits including paid vacations, holidays and more. To view full-time career opportunities with the company, visit smithfieldfoods.com/careers.

About Smithfield Foods, Inc.
Headquartered in Smithfield, Virginia, since 1936, Smithfield Foods, Inc. is a U.S. food company that employs nearly 60,000 people in seven countries and partners with thousands of American farmers. As one of the world's leading vertically integrated protein companies, we are dedicated to producing "Good food. Responsibly.^®" to feed a growing world population. We have pioneered sustainability standards for more than two decades, including our industry-leading commitments to become carbon negative in our U.S. company-owned operations and reduce GHG emissions 30% across our entire U.S. value chain by 2030. We believe in the power of protein to end food insecurity and have donated hundreds of millions of food servings to food banks, disaster relief efforts and community outreach programs in all 50 U.S. states. Smithfield boasts a portfolio of high-quality iconic brands, such as Smithfield^®, Eckrich^®, Gwaltney^® and Nathan's Famous^®, among many others. For more information, visit  www.smithfieldfoods.com and connect with us on Facebook, X, formerly known as Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Threads. 

SOURCE Smithfield Foods, Inc.