Diageo "Celebrate the Future" Hispanic Scholarship Program Now Accepting Applications

USA - English

• Latin America - español

CHICAGO, May 24, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Diageo, the world's leading premium spirits, beer and wine company, recently launched its 2011 "Celebrate the Future" (CTF) Hispanic Scholarship Program. Now in its third year, CTF provides scholarship money to outstanding students who are pursuing educational opportunities in support of a career in the hospitality and leisure industries.

CTF will award eight scholarships, each worth $7,500, to support continuing education. The scholarships will be given to deserving Hispanic students in Illinois, over the age of 21. Since the start of the program in 2009, Diageo has awarded more than $120,000 in scholarships and will award at least $60,000 this year. The 2011 scholarships will be funded through a portion of sales from each of the following Diageo brands: Ciroc, Buchanan's, Baileys, Don Julio, Jose Cuervo Especial Silver, Jose Cuervo Gold, Jose Cuervo Tradicional, Johnnie Walker Black Label and Crown Royal.

"Diageo launched Celebrate the Future as a way to recognize high performing students and help them get the education that is so important to achieving their dreams," said Brent Albertson, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Diageo North America. "Every one of us at Diageo had someone along the way who believed in us and provided us an opportunity to succeed. The Celebrate the Future scholarship program provides that same opportunity to local students, and we can't wait to see them become leaders of the industry and our community."

Diageo has joined forces with the Illinois U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the Hispanic Alliance on Career Advancement, and the local Univision affiliate in order to help drive awareness and promote community involvement in the program. This year's program features CTF Ambassadors who will promote the program to student communities by partnering with various civic and academic organizations, through which scholarship applicants and CTF Ambassadors will work side by side with applicants to provide insight and support throughout the application process.

One of this year's ambassadors is previous scholarship winner Pablo Geronimo, a 22 year-old Marketing student at the University of Illinois – Chicago. Describing the application process and how winning the scholarship has impacted his life, Geronimo said: "Winning the Diageo scholarship allowed me to go to school, something I would not have been able to do otherwise. That's why I encourage students to apply for this scholarship. Don't be shy. Don't be afraid. Dream big."

For more information on how to apply, review sample essays, or to learn more about upcoming CTF events, please visit www.CelebrateTheFuture.com. Applicants may apply online until June 30th. The top applicants will be invited to an interview and the winners will be announced in the week of July 17, 2011.

About Diageo

Diageo (Dee-AG-Gee-O) is the world's leading premium drinks business with an outstanding collection of beverage alcohol brands across spirits, beer and wine. These brands include Johnnie Walker, Crown Royal, J&B, Windsor, Buchanan's and Bushmills whiskies, Smirnoff, Ciroc and Ketel One vodkas, Baileys, Captain Morgan, Jose Cuervo, Tanqueray and Guinness.

Diageo is a global company, with its products sold in more than 180 countries around the world. The company is listed on both the New York Stock Exchange (DEO) and the London Stock Exchange (DGE). For more information about Diageo, its people, brands, and performance, visit us at Diageo.com. For our global resource that promotes responsible drinking through the sharing of best practice tools, information and initiatives, visit DRINKiQ.com.

Celebrating life, every day, everywhere.

SOURCE Diageo