Queens University President Dan Lugo and Lowe's CEO Marvin Ellison to Announce Lowe's $2.5M Investment in New Talent Initiative

CHARLOTTE, N.C., March 29, 2022   /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Queens University of Charlotte President Daniel G. Lugo will welcome senior executives from Lowe's Companies Inc. to officially announce details of the Charlotte Talent Initiative (CTI), a newly established partnership between organizations in Mecklenburg County and Queens to expand Charlotte's talent pipeline while also impacting the lives of low-income graduates of local high schools.

Lowe's representatives, including Marvin Ellison, chairman and chief executive officer; Janice Dupré, executive vice president of human resources; Margi Vagell, senior vice president and general merchandising manager; and Joel Cogdell, division president, South Division; as well as Sherri Chisholm, executive director, Leading on Opportunity; will join President Lugo for a press conference and check presentation to formalize Lowe's $2.5 million investment at the Belk Chapel, 2234 Radcliffe Avenue, on the campus of Queens University on Tues. March 29, 2022, at 4 p.m.

"The Charlotte Talent Initiative is an immersive cohort program designed to accelerate the economic trajectories of students who have historically been excluded," President Lugo said. "We are beyond honored to have Lowe's as our first corporate partner in this bold effort that begins to level the playing field for talented young people, regardless of their socioeconomic background, while also fueling Charlotte's engine of economic mobility."

CTI will create pipelines of socioeconomically diverse and talented university graduates to contribute to the most pressing organizational needs of partner organizations. The annual Lowe's investment over four years will provide full-tuition scholarships for students in the Lowe's cohort. Through the partnership, Queens will create a cohesive set of business management opportunities to educate students in modern leadership within the context of a liberal arts curriculum.

"We're committed to opening more doors for talented and hard-working students because we know that creating pathways to economic and social mobility is critical for building the workforce of the future," Ellison said. "By welcoming students of all backgrounds to explore retail management careers, this partnership is right in keeping with Lowe's history of investing in communities and our focus on initiatives that break down barriers to opportunity. And it aligns perfectly with our commitment to make a meaningful impact on our hometown Charlotte community."

The Lowe's partnership will enable Queens to infuse curricular and co-curricular management experiences throughout the student experience. The program will provide students with an authentic application of learning while providing Lowe's a pipeline of valuable interns and graduates.

"Collaborative college and career readiness efforts like the Charlotte Talent Initiative are putting low-income students on the path toward achieving economic mobility," said Sherri Chisholm, executive director for Leading on Opportunity. "Queens' and Lowe's commitment to these students' success through education combined with mentorship and internship opportunities will help them be successful in the classroom and life. These types of partnerships will help us close the economic mobility gap – one family at a time."

The first Lowe's student cohort will begin in the 2022 Fall semester. Students will take a suite of management, business and leadership courses designed and developed in partnership with Lowe's while pursuing a major in their chosen field of interest.

"The success of the Lowe's and Queens partnership will expand our applicant pool, increase retention and graduation rates, and enable the university to change the trajectory of the lives of traditionally under-resourced students who are poised to make meaningful contributions to our community," President Lugo said. "This is the beginning of an extraordinary journey for Queens and Lowe's as we partner to recruit, educate, support, and propel students to incredible business careers and lives of purpose, meaning and impact."

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About Queens
Queens University is a private, coeducational university located in Charlotte, N.C. The university serves nearly 2,500 students with 43 major and 63 minor undergraduate degree options and 12 graduate degrees. Students represent 44 states and 70 foreign countries. As part of the university's vision to promote educational experiences that nurture intellectual curiosity and promote global understanding, nearly two-thirds of traditional undergraduates participate in study abroad experiences and 100 percent take part in internships. The U.S. News & World Report ranked Queens 15th among regional universities in the south in its 2022 edition of Best Colleges.

About Lowe's
Lowe's Companies, Inc. (NYSE: LOW) is a FORTUNE® 50 home improvement company serving approximately 19 million customer transactions a week in the United States and Canada. With fiscal year 2021 sales of over $96 billion, Lowe's and its related businesses operate or service nearly 2,200 home improvement and hardware stores and employ over 300,000 associates. Based in Mooresville, N.C., Lowe's supports the communities it serves through programs focused on creating safe, affordable housing and helping to develop the next generation of skilled trade experts. For more information, visit Lowes.com.

Media Contact

Keith Pierce, APR, Queens University of Charlotte, 1 7043372452, [email protected]

SOURCE Queens University of Charlotte