We are&nbsp;proud to celebrate our next graduating class of the Starbucks&nbsp;College Achievement Plan (SCAP) where partners can earn their bachelor’s&nbsp;degree online from ASU – with 100% tuition coverage.&nbsp;

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This SCAP class is our largest yet, and by this winter more than 12,000 partners have graduated through this program with their bachelor’s degree.

We are proud to support our partners as the achieve their aspirations – at Starbucks and beyond.

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Meet some of the ’23 grads&nbsp;

Evans K.: Giving back through education&nbsp;

Coffee is at the root of Evans K.’s family. His grandparents had a coffee farm in Uganda that supported their family. And his father worked for a cooperative bank that served coffee farmers. So, after Evans immigrated to the United States five years ago, the idea of working at Starbucks and returning to coffee seemed like a natural fit for him. &nbsp;

“(When I applied) I had never been inside a Starbucks store or even had a Starbucks drink but I had heard a lot of good things about the company and how it takes care of its employees,” said Evans, who mostly drank black coffee until that point. “I was pleasantly surprised when my hiring manager at the time gave me the job even though I didn’t know what a cappuccino was.” &nbsp;

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Soon, he learned about the SCAP program, which would offer him a chance to go to school and finish the bachelor’s degree he had started before he left Uganda.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“It took me a while to actually get back to school but what made me stay with the company regardless was the warmth of the people,” said Evans, a shift supervisor in Virginia. “From the partners to the customers, everyone was so friendly and supportive and it was nothing like I had experienced.” &nbsp;

Evans graduated this summer with a bachelor’s degree in political science. This fall, he did a fellowship with The Starbucks Foundation where he was able to learn about Starbucks relationship with coffee farmers in different countries.&nbsp;

“Farmers contributed to getting me to where I am today – and coffee – so I wanted to see how we help them around the world,” he said.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Evans is continuing his education and is now earning a master’s degree in international affairs and leadership and dreams of perhaps returning to Uganda to help others there.&nbsp;

“My future goals are to use my degree gained through the SCAP program to impact communities both here and abroad,” he said. “I am an immigrant and through my scholar work I am serving my community by supporting newly arrived refugees in the area. I am looking forward to telling these truly inspiring and wonderful impact stories back in my store, my community and wherever I go.”&nbsp;

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Kaylen P.: ‘At the threshold of realizing my dream’&nbsp;

When Kaylen P., a barista in New Mexico, was working as a bartender, she met her now-husband Mark, and she remembers talking late into the night about their goals and aspirations. &nbsp;

“I consistently spoke about my desire to return to school. When the pandemic disrupted my employment, leaving us both uncertain about the future,” she recalled. “Mark continued to stand by my side and provided unwavering support for me to pursue my dream of returning to education.”&nbsp;

He encouraged her to look for opportunities online, which is where she discovered SCAP. “The sheer magnitude of what this program offered left me in disbelief,” she said.&nbsp;

She got a job at Starbucks and soon enrolled in SCAP. For Kaylen, education is in her blood. Her mom is a high school teacher with multiple bachelor’s degrees. “From a young age, my mother consistently emphasized the value of education, encouraging us to embrace learning as a lifelong pursuit,” Kaylen said.&nbsp;&nbsp;

While she was attending ASU, her mom started a small fund to help pay for textbooks and whenever Kaylen bought a new one, she’d reach out to tell her about it so they could share the excitement of what she was learning. This week, her mom will be at ASU to see her earn her degree in technological entrepreneurship and management, a degree she says is “inherently linked to the spirit of innovation and the drive to create a better world,”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Kaylen lives near a national laboratory where research is happening in the areas of biomedicine, green fuel, supercomputing and more.&nbsp;

With her degree, she plans to be part of that kind of life-changing work. “Now, I stand at the threshold of realizing my dream,” she said. “I am resolute in my commitment to contribute to and serve my community.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

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Patricia M.: Changing a family’s trajectory&nbsp;

When Patricia M. walks across the stage at Arizona State University this week to receive her bachelor’s degree, the love and dreams of generations of her family – both here and long gone, each wanting a better life for their children, will be propelling her forward.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“It feels like I changed the trajectory of my family history,” said Patricia, a Starbucks partner who is the first in her family to go to college.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Her mother, Esmerelda, was 7 when she and some of her siblings immigrated to the United States from one of the southernmost parts of Mexico, walking the entire journey, with little food or water.&nbsp;

It wasn’t until Patricia was an adult that she truly understood the sacrifices her mom made, but she knew that she did it because she wanted more for her own children. “(My mom) always said, ‘You know, I always pushed you and your sister, because I wanted you guys to be on top of the world.’,” said Patricia. “When I cross that stage, that's the only way I can explain how I'll feel is I'll feel like I'm on top of the world and I have the same equal opportunity that other people have.”&nbsp;

Patricia grew up in central California, where many of her extended family worked long hours stacking hay and picking citrus fruits, berries and nuts. She’s always known that when money is tight, things can be fleeting – but not a college degree.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“My (mom) would always tell me, ‘No one can take away your degree. That is something that you earned. That is something with your name on it and no one could ever take that away from you.’ And I think that that is very powerful. You know, as woman, in general, especially in this day and age, it's very hard to have anything that is truly yours. But putting in the hard work and the hours, as much as you want to quit, it's something that will never be taken away from you.”&nbsp;

After Patricia started working at Starbucks five years ago, she heard about the Starbucks College Achievement Program and decided to enroll, going to school while working full-time as a barista. Several months ago, she became a payroll analyst associate at the Starbucks Support Center in Seattle. She’s had a lifelong love of writing and chose to earn her degree in mass communication and media studies. Looking ahead, she wants to be able to tell the stories of the community where she grew up. &nbsp;

“My biggest dream and long-term goal are to document the lives of the field workers who are responsible for putting food on everyone's tables and painting their image as it remains: fathers, mothers, aunts, uncles, cousins, sons, daughters, brothers and sisters,” she said. “I genuinely think that the people in the community that I come from are some of the best people because they are able to extend empathy beyond themselves … beyond their children, they think about their grandchildren.” &nbsp;

Having a degree, she knows, opens the door to a different future, where possibilities that didn’t exist now unspool before her. She’s on the cusp of the rest of her life, to do with as she chooses.&nbsp;

“When I got my degree, I felt like I changed something. I still don’t even know what it is.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

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Eligible Starbucks partners can receive 100 percent upfront tuition coverage for a bachelor’s degree from Arizona State University. Meet some of the grads.

More than 12,000 have graduated through Starbucks College Achievement Plan

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Stories to inspire and nurture the human spirit

Starbucks Stories

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Starbucks Corporation

Bridge to a better future: More than 12,000 have graduated through Starbucks College Achievement Plan

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Bachelor’s degree in philosophy

Jon Liechty had always considered himself a good student. In high school he got good grades and took so many advanced placement classes that he started college at the age of 17 at the level of almost a junior. But then he quickly flunked out.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“It was such a shock for me, because, you know, academics had not been something I ever struggled with,” said Liechty. “I was always highly successful but got to a point where I required more discipline and self starting than I had at that point in my life. And, you know, I was entirely lost.”&nbsp;

Not knowing what to do and needing a job, he started working as a barista in 1999. He’s been with Starbucks ever since and now is a senior vice president of U.S. retail operations. But not having a college degree, always “nagged in the back of my head,” he said. “It was unfinished business, practically speaking. And it was a source of massive insecurity.”&nbsp;

After the SCAP program launched, he decided to change that, pursuing a bachelor’s degree in philosophy. He graduated in 2018, something that he said gave him a greater sense of confidence.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Going to classes with retail partners deepened his understanding of their day-to-day lives, he said. “I was constantly in classes with Starbuck partners working in the stores. … At the end of the day, I was just another student.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

Liechty is an evangelist for SCAP now. “I tell them that if I can do it, I know you can do it. I was lapsed for 20 years,” he said. “... I believe that we’re in a constant state of becoming who we are.”&nbsp;

Jon Liechty, senior vice president, U.S. retail operations

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Jon Liechty, senior vice president, U.S. retail operations 

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Bachelor’s degree in educational studies

Ever since she was 5 years old, Carmen dreamed of being a teacher. “But as you know,” she said, “life has a way of taking you on alternative paths, and I needed a way back to what I had always wanted to do.” With a young child of her own, she became even more determined to pursue her passion. So, she decided to apply to Starbucks, a company whose mission and values called to her. Growing up in the South and identifying as pansexual, Carmen knew she wanted to work in a place that was truly inclusive and where everyone was valued and respected for who they are.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Carmen will be graduating this May with a bachelor’s degree in educational studies. She’s already been accepted to the teacher certification program for the state of Texas, where she’ll be starting classes as soon as she graduates from ASU. She wants to teach first or second grade.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“My heart is with the little ones,” she says. “Being pansexual myself, it really made sense for me to be the kind of teacher that I needed as a young girl … someone who would make education equal for everybody and make the classroom a safe space to really … celebrate who you are.”&nbsp;

Just like Carmen‘s leaders have supported her SCAP journey, Carmen has appreciated the opportunities she’s had to develop as a leader at work, skills that she recognizes are readily transferable to teaching.&nbsp;

Often referred to as the “store mom,” she’s become a vocal advocate for SCAP, inspiring fellow partners to pursue their own education. “I feel like I really kind of lit the fire that this is possible.”&nbsp;

“I tried to guide my entire journey with Starbucks to … help others find success and help others realize what their paths are, what are they good at, and help them find direction for their life.”&nbsp;

Carmen, shift supervisor, Texas

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Bachelor’s degree in communication

Before joining Starbucks and participating in SCAP, Janeth, an assistant store manager at a Starbucks in Van Nuys, California, had tried going to college three times. But each time, she had to drop out due to housing insecurity and the challenge of trying to juggle multiple jobs. A key factor in being able to earn her degree through SCAP, she said, was having the support of her managers and her store partners.

“Starbucks really helped me,” she said. “My leaders really, you know, they really pushed me to continue and they were able to give me and accommodate the schedule that I needed for it.”&nbsp;

Janeth says her dream is to ultimately use her bachelor’s degree in communication to help others, particularly those who are experiencing homelessness or to advocate for kids in the foster care system. 

“(My degree) means the world because I've tried so hard for so long. … It means so much to be able to say that I have a degree and I'm knowledgeable in a field that's so valued. And I love the fact that I can use it to open doors and cross bridges.”&nbsp;

Janeth, assistant store manager, California

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Bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies

Getting his college degree is “100 percent the best thing I’ve ever done,” asserted Wardell, who is traveling to Arizona to receive his diploma this week. “Second best,” he amended quickly, “after marrying my wife!” 

Wardell had been working in Accounting at the Starbucks Support Center for over a year when he discovered the SCAP benefit. He had always meant to finish college but had not had the opportunity. He landed at Starbucks eight years ago after discovering that he had an affinity for accounting, and enrolled at ASU through SCAP a couple years later to deepen his knowledge. He is getting a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies with a focus in data analytics and technical communication. All along the way, his studies have contributed to his experience in the workplace. 

“I feel more confident in myself when it comes to knowledge in the theory behind things whereas before I had the experience, but I didn't really understand what I was doing,” he said. “Oh, man, I’ve learned so [much]. I mean, there were times where I would read my book, and then the next day, a problem would come up and I could apply it, ... The biggest unlock was when I was working on project management [in school]. And I was working on a project at the same time. And so being able to utilize some of the theory and the skills and the tools, I just boom! copied and pasted and used it at work the next day.&nbsp;

“That was when it really clicked, when I realized, oh, this is gonna be a huge difference maker.”&nbsp;

Getting a degree while holding down a full-time job is not for the faint of heart. In Wardell’s case, it took seven years for him to complete his studies. But the journey has proved as rewarding as the destination.&nbsp;

“I would tell anybody – like, I would shout from the rafters – join SCAP if you do not have a college degree.”&nbsp;

Wardell, business systems analyst, sr, Lease Accounting, Seattle - Starbucks Stories

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Wardell, business systems analyst, sr, Lease Accounting, Seattle

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Effective September 19, 2022, eligible U.S. partners will have access to new benefits to further financial stability and manage student loan repayments&nbsp;&nbsp;

SEATTLE – Today, building on Starbucks <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2017/starbucks-commitment-to-partners/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">historic commitments</a> to offering leading benefits for its partners (employees), Starbucks Coffee Company announced a set of programs, designed to support eligible partners when it comes to two critical areas of financial well-being: savings and student loan debt.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@starbuckspartners/video/7142535574950366510?is_from_webapp=v1&amp;item_id=7142535574950366510&amp;web_id=7052008764535391750" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The new benefits</a>, which will begin on September 19, will contribute to eligible partners’ financial stability and help them manage their higher education debt. Both programs were informed by thousands of conversations with partners over the last several months as the coffee company <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2022/a-message-from-howard-schultz-the-next-chapter-of-starbucks-reinvention/">reinvents its future</a>.

“We’ve heard from our partners and know that pressures of inflation, in addition to debt and savings are weighing heavily on them,” said Ron Crawford, SVP Total Rewards, Starbucks. “Providing industry-leading benefits for our partners is a cornerstone of who we are as a company. As we reinvent the future of Starbucks, together with our partners, we knew we had an opportunity to further support the financial well-being of our partners and their families.”

Working with Fidelity, Starbucks is introducing My Starbucks Savings, a new way to help eligible partners save for the unexpected. All eligible U.S. partners will be able to contribute a portion of after-tax pay on a recurring basis directly from their paycheck to a personal savings account. To incentivize savings and account growth, Starbucks will contribute $25 and $50 credits at key saving milestones up to a total of $250 per incentive eligible partner.

“Too many Americans are unprepared financially to handle the unexpected, and this current economic environment only makes it more important to help people establish solid savings behaviors and foundation to cover short-term expenses,” said <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/fidelitykevinbarry" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Kevin Barry</a>, president of Workplace Investing at Fidelity Investments. “As this program demonstrates, employers are in a position to help, which is why Fidelity is pleased to work with Starbucks and other companies to provide savers with a path to achieving their financial goals, such as emergency savings.”

Starbucks will also launch a Student Loan Management Benefit through Tuition.io to help eligible partners manage and optimize student loan repayments. Through this tool, eligible U.S. partners and their families will have access to new tools, resources and individual coaching to manage student loan debt, such as repayment options and loan refinancing. Tools within the platform will help partners view all their student loan debt in one place and locate the best individual action to take based on their personal repayment scenario and goals. This could include taking advantage of income-based repayment options, refinancing and planning how best to finance education for college-bound students and parents of students.

“Student loan debt remains a tremendous financial burden for the nearly 48 million U.S. consumers who have borrowed to finance the education necessary to unlock the best career opportunities,” said Scott Thompson, CEO of Tuition.io. "As we approach the time when payments will be restarted for federal loans, we're honored to work with Starbucks to support their partners and their families to make the best financial decisions regarding repayment of their student loans and options for financing their future education."

These benefits build on Starbucks continued work to support partners’ holistic well-being as a company with programs that include 401(k) with Starbucks Match, Bean Stock, comprehensive healthcare coverage, full tuition coverage for a Bachelor’s Degree through the Starbucks College Achievement Plan, Lyra mental health benefit <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2017/starbucks-commitment-to-partners/">and more</a>.

“We believe that when we invest in you and your greater aspirations we are investing in the success of Starbucks too,” said Sara Kelly, Starbucks chief partner officer. “This is just one more way we are co-creating a meaningful partner experience and a better future for Starbucks.”

This announcement builds on partner financial stability investments from Starbucks earlier this year when the company committed to <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2022/starbucks-commits-one-billion-in-fy2022-investments-to-uplift-partners-employees-and-the-store-experience/">increase partner pay</a>, effective August 1.

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Since 1971, Starbucks Coffee Company has been committed to ethically sourcing and roasting high-quality arabica coffee. Today, with more than 34,000 stores worldwide, the company is the premier roaster and retailer of specialty coffee in the world. Through our unwavering commitment to excellence and our guiding principles, we bring the unique Starbucks Experience to life for every customer through every cup. To share in the experience, please visit us in our stores or online at stories.starbucks.com or <a href="http://www.starbucks.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">www.starbucks.com</a>.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements contained herein are “forward-looking” statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws and regulations. Generally, these statements can be identified by the use of words such as “aim,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “feel,” “forecast,” “intend,” “may,” “outlook,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “seek,” “should,” “will,” “would,” and similar expressions intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. These statements include statements relating to trends in or expectations relating to the effects of our existing and any future initiatives, strategies, investments and plans, including our reinvention plan, as well as trends in or expectations regarding our financial results and long-term growth model and drivers; our operations in the U.S. and China; our environmental, social and governance efforts; our partners; economic and consumer trends, including the impact of inflationary pressures; impact of foreign currency translation; strategic pricing actions; the conversion of certain market operations to fully licensed models; our plans for streamlining our operations, including store openings, closures and changes in store formats and models; expanding our licensing to Nestlé of our consumer packaged goods and Foodservice businesses and its effects on our Channel Development segment results; tax rates; business opportunities and expansion; strategic acquisitions; our dividends programs; commodity costs and our mitigation strategies; our liquidity, cash flow from operations, investments, borrowing capacity and use of proceeds; continuing compliance with our covenants under our credit facilities and commercial paper program; repatriation of cash to the U.S.; the likelihood of the issuance of additional debt and the applicable interest rate; the continuing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our financial results and future availability of governmental subsidies for COVID-19 or other public health events; our ceo transition; our share repurchase program; our use of cash and cash requirements; the expected effects of new accounting pronouncements and the estimated impact of changes in U.S. tax law, including on tax rates, investments funded by these changes and potential outcomes; and effects of legal proceedings. Such statements are based on currently available operating, financial and competitive information and are subject to various risks and uncertainties. Actual future results and trends may differ materially depending on a variety of factors, including, but not limited to: the continuing impact of COVID-19 on our business; regulatory measures or voluntary actions that may be put in place to limit the spread of COVID-19, including restrictions on business operations or social distancing requirements, and the duration and efficacy of such restrictions; the resurgence of COVID-19 infections and the circulation of novel variants of COVID-19; fluctuations in U.S. and international economies and currencies; our ability to preserve, grow and leverage our brands; the ability of our business partners and third-party providers to fulfill their responsibilities and commitments; potential negative effects of incidents involving food or beverage-borne illnesses, tampering, adulteration, contamination or mislabeling; potential negative effects of material breaches of our information technology systems to the extent we experience a material breach; material failures of our information technology systems; costs associated with, and the successful execution of, the Company’s initiatives and plans; new initiatives and plans or revisions to existing initiatives or plans; our ability to obtain financing on acceptable terms; the acceptance of the Company’s products by our customers, evolving consumer preferences and tastes and changes in consumer spending behavior; partner investments, changes in the availability and cost of labor including any union organizing efforts and our responses to such efforts; failure to attract or retain key executive or employee talent or successfully transition executives; significant increased logistics costs; inflationary pressures; the impact of competition; inherent risks of operating a global business including any potential negative effects stemming from the Russian invasion of Ukraine; the prices and availability of coffee, dairy and other raw materials; the effect of legal proceedings; and the effects of changes in tax laws and related guidance and regulations that may be implemented and other risks detailed in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including in the “Risk Factors” and “Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” sections of the company’s most recently filed periodic reports on Form 10-K and Form 10-Q and subsequent filings. A forward-looking statement is neither a prediction nor a guarantee of future events or circumstances, and those future events or circumstances may not occur. You should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this release. We are under no obligation to update or alter any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

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Effective September 19, 2022, eligible U.S. partners will have access to new benefits to further financial stability and manage student loan repayments.

Starbucks Announces Student Loan Management and Savings Programs to Support Partner (Employee) Financial Well-Being

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After a tornado tore apart the Nashville area in March, David Bradley parked his car near the Meridian apartment complex in Hermitage, Tenn., and started walking toward the main office. It took him an hour to navigate through the rubble, broken glass everywhere and cars skewered by tree limbs. Whole buildings were missing entire sections of walls, and he looked with awe into abandoned rooms.&nbsp;

As a volunteer with <a href="https://www.hon.org/">Hands on Nashville</a>, a nonprofit helping with the city’s recovery, he jumped in to help the residents of the 272 apartments that had been evacuated. He found answers for questions, connected people with resources and directed new volunteers as they showed up.&nbsp;

“I found myself helping, serving tacos (that had been donated by the <a href="https://www.thenashvillefoodproject.org/">Nashville Food Project</a>),” Bradley remembers. “A lot of people in the apartment complex spoke Spanish as their first language. We didn’t understand each other in terms of language, but the communion around eating and food produced a second of normalcy, even though behind me, there were devastated buildings. I put all my energy into giving as much love and positive support as I could.”&nbsp;

What does it mean to serve your community? What does it mean to do good? During these divisive and stressful times, how do you best show up and help?&nbsp;

For Bradley, 27, the answers are coming slowly but surely as he pours himself into the things he’s learning, the identities he’s shaping: at a Starbucks in Gallatin, Tenn., where he works as a shift supervisor; at home, where he’s a newly married husband; and at school, where he’s on the Dean’s List and on track to graduate next spring with an organizational leadership degree from Arizona State University’s (ASU) online program.&nbsp;

This week, Starbucks is proud to celebrate “Back to School” with Bradley and the rest of the 16,000 partners who are currently working towards their college degrees with the Starbucks College Achievement Plan (SCAP) – a program where Starbucks offers benefits-eligible employees 100 percent tuition coverage for a first-time degree through ASU.&nbsp;

Since the program’s inception in 2014, more than 4,700 partners – from all kinds of backgrounds – have graduated from ASU. Starbucks believes in creating meaningful opportunities for our partners, and believes these degrees will help them reach their full potential while supporting their efforts to address inequities and problems in our society.&nbsp;

Bradley was born in Nashville, and raised in a multigenerational house with his mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. He calls the time after high school his “blunder years.” He worked in restaurants with no path or purpose. He constantly felt indifferent and uncomfortable. “Long hair, don’t care” was his motto.&nbsp;

Seven years ago, he got a job as a Starbucks barista and eventually transferred to a store in Hendersonville, Tenn., where his manager, Guy Tustin, told him about SCAP and pushed him to try college. “I was nervous and tried to think of a million excuses as to why I was not cut out for college,” Bradley says. “For some reason, he saw a lot of potential in me. He knew that I needed a push.”&nbsp;

When he finally started school in 2016, it felt like “I grabbed onto a train,” Bradley says. Suddenly, he was ingesting 20-30 page papers, studying big issues like poverty and race relations in the South and corporate ethics, analyzing why certain social services got more funding than others, learning leadership principles and trying to apply them to his life.&nbsp;

“I realized all these things were going on in the world, and I realized that just wanting the world to be a better place, it wasn’t a plan, it wasn’t a goal. It was just wishful thinking,” Bradley says. “I transitioned into organizational leadership because I wanted to grow as a leader. I wanted to be a leader that advocated for mental health and the subjects that I cared about. I wanted to use my position and knowledge to highlight important social issues.” 

His time with Hands On Nashville, which meets community need through volunteerism, solidified some of those lessons. He’d been placed there through <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2019/starbucks-partners-make-deep-local-impact-with-innovative-service-program/">The Starbucks Foundation Service Fellows program</a>, a partnership with Points of Light, which allowed him to work part-time at Starbucks and part-time at the nonprofit for seven months. He describes the weeks helping Nashville recover – the long days, the constant legwork, the simultaneous stress and determination, the passion of the people working around him – as “the most challenging and best experience I have had as a person."&nbsp;&nbsp;

“I’m going to keep my doors open, keep focusing on my studies, keep learning and developing as a person, and when something walks into my line of sight, an opportunity, I’m just going to jump in and see what happens,” Bradley says of his plans after graduation.&nbsp;

“It’s not about trying to find your destination, it’s more about diving into the experience in front of you and trying to take everything from it,” he says. “If you let it, it has the power to transform your life. It’s done that for me.”&nbsp;

For Tatiana Holt, the plan seemed pretty simple. Spend two years in the United States through an au pair-student exchange visa, improve her English and go back home to Bogotá, Colombia, where she’d be a stronger job candidate because of her overseas experience.&nbsp;

But about a year and a half later, at a Starbucks in Westfield, N.J., she met the man who’d eventually become her husband, a videographer with his own freelance production company. “It happened out of nowhere, it all happened so fast,” she remembers. “I ended up staying and starting my life from zero, away from family.”&nbsp;

When the exchange program ended, she needed a job. So she started working as a barista at the same store, picking it because she’d heard several employees speaking Spanish, her native language. Once there, her store manager Victor Espinoza told her about SCAP.&nbsp;

“Victor kept telling me, you can do it, you can do it,” recalls Holt, 31, now a Starbucks shift supervisor in Edison, N.J. “I just thought about it for a long time, about a year, and that’s when I applied with the dream of having a diploma in this country.”&nbsp;

Back in Colombia, as an only child, Holt had nurtured a desire to make a career in video, maybe as a post-production editor or a motion graphics artist. In high school, she’d shot videos while volunteering at the local YMCA, which was trying to help women and families escape poverty.&nbsp;

At ASU, she found a major, graphic information technology, through which she could study 2D and 3D animation. She’s minoring in film and media studies and also working part-time as a teaching assistant.&nbsp;

After a study-abroad opportunity to Italy was cancelled because of COVID-19, ASU placed her, via a global remote learning internship program, with <a href="https://actionaid.org.au/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI65GSpL_06gIVAz2tBh1jAgTaEAAYASAAEgJmuPD_BwE">ActionAid,</a> a nonprofit organization based in Australia that seeks to empower women to be leaders in their communities during times of crisis. Holt is working on video projects with ActionAid, giving her an opportunity to push her technical skills and apply them to real-life scenarios.&nbsp;

Holt said she likes the flexibility of online classes and the fact the lectures are always subtitled, so she can follow along and continue to improve her English. After she graduates this spring, she hopes to “create motion graphics that can help people learn about their community and inspire others to become a better version of themselves.” And, she wants to show that women can succeed in video editing and motion graphics, industries Holt sees filled mostly with men.&nbsp;

“When I moved to the U.S., I had to get my first car, my first credit card, my first everything. Even Starbucks, it was my first real job,” Holt says. “These seven years (since coming to America), I’ve changed so much, and Starbucks has helped me with that. And now I’m able to have a degree in the U.S. which I never thought I could be able to do.”&nbsp;

Actress, mom, student: “I won’t let anything stand in the way of this”&nbsp;

After spending her 20s pursuing an acting career, and most of her 30s raising three children, Najja Meeks is now facing a different kind of challenge: finishing college.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“I can tell you it’s not been easy, especially in the beginning, because I hadn’t been a student for so long,” says Meeks, a Starbucks shift supervisor in Burbank, Calif. “It was a very, very steep learning curve, especially the technology. The first semester, I worked so damn hard for those grades.”&nbsp;

She also wanted to set an example for her kids, ages 9, 6 and 4. Meeks, 38, is on track to graduate next spring with a degree from ASU in organizational leadership.&nbsp;

“I really wanted my children to see what setting a goal looked like and the necessary work in reaching it,” she says. “There were nights when I was crying and my kids would ask, ‘Why are you crying about your homework?’ I wanted them to see this process, even the ugly bits.”&nbsp;

Born in California, Meeks lived in Texas for a while before graduating from a performing arts high school in Los Angeles. She had dreams of going to New York City and training to be a stage actor. But although she felt a lot of support, her family situation was complicated, and she couldn’t come up with enough money to start school.&nbsp;

She took some community college classes and worked for a few years in the entertainment industry as an actor and model, but left that career behind when she became a mother.&nbsp;

“I had a manager, had an agent. I was going on auditions for movies and TV shows,” she says. “But being a mom was equally important to me and once I had my daughter, I knew I had to give it my all.”&nbsp;

Meeks applied to work at Starbucks three years ago because she wanted to make enough money to take her eldest daughter to the 2020 Summer Olympics in Japan, a bucket list adventure that’s been put off by the pandemic.&nbsp;

At first, adjusting from being a stay-at-home mom to being managed by an 18-year-old shift supervisor was “very humbling,” she says. But she soon found out about SCAP from another store partner who she worked early-morning shifts with. Buoyed by his enthusiasm – he was almost done with his own SCAP degree – the opportunity for higher education while getting her tuition covered was a no-brainer, she says.&nbsp;

Starbucks offers the benefit without requiring employees to work for the company afterwards, or to study something specific. Meeks, who enjoys working with people and hopes to find a job in human resources, credits her children’s father for giving her “a great amount of support at home” so she could pursue schooling.&nbsp;

Recently, Meeks, who is African American, and two other moms helped establish a committee that works with the local school district and some school board members, advocating for a more diverse teaching staff that better reflects the student body, a more inclusive curriculum and more awareness in matters of social justice.&nbsp;

“I want my children to see themselves and their heritage positively reflected early in their educational career,” she says. Her children are half Mexican American.&nbsp;

Specifically, she wants local schools to expand Black history beyond what seems to her like the same two examples year after year – Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks. Why not also study the many other examples of Black excellence, she asks? Amidst the current social unrest following the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, Meeks is encouraged by more people in her community speaking up about similar things.

And, she hopes through this journey, she might find her own voice.&nbsp;

“There were times when I’d be at committee meetings with the school board and the superintendent, and I would start suffering the feelings of imposter syndrome,” Meeks says. “The other moms, they have master’s degrees, and a small part of me would shrink behind my friends when it came to speaking. Even though I know I’m more than capable, that self-doubt would creep in. That’s another motivating factor with this degree. I hope it will give me a little more confidence.

“Back in my 20s, once something got hard for me, or the moment I felt uncomfortable, I would immediately find a reason to quit,” she says. “Getting this degree, I decided I won’t let anything stand in the way of this. I refuse to stop until I get to that end goal. I don’t care how old I am. I am so glad that I’ve gone back to school and done something for myself and persisted.”&nbsp;

Doing good by degrees: How 3 partners are making an impact through Starbucks College Achievement Plan - Starbucks Stories

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Doing good by degrees: How 3 partners are making an impact through Starbucks College Achievement Plan

These Starbucks partners (employees) are going back to school to make an impact in their communities.

https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2020/starbucks-partners-go-back-to-school-make-an-impact-in-their-communities/

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This May, nearly 700 Starbucks partners will graduate with a degree from Arizona State University through the Starbucks College Achievement Plan, which covers 100 percent tuition for eligible partners attending ASU’s online program.

That makes nearly 4,500 total Starbucks partners who have earned first-time bachelor’s degrees since the program was announced in 2014. This is the largest graduating cohort in SCAP history. More than 14,000 partners across the U.S. are currently working towards a degree through SCAP, with more than 80 undergraduate degree options. And more than more than 20 percent of those are first-generation college students.

“This is an unprecedented time,” said Mary Dixon, SCAP director. “While this may look different than our graduates imagined the moment to be, it is still their moment. They’ve earned this. They’ve pushed boundaries and found a way here through many challenging moments. They’ve shown resilience, tenacity and an abundance of creativity to get to this milestone. As we all chart a way forward, I am hopeful because of the courage and determination they all have shown to get to this moment.”

Read on to meet three of this spring’s graduates.

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Celebrating graduates of Starbucks College Achievement Plan - Starbucks Stories

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Celebrating graduates of Starbucks College Achievement Plan

This May, nearly 700 Starbucks partners will graduate with a degree from Arizona State University through the Starbucks College Achievement Plan.

https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2020/starbucks-celebrates-our-college-graduates/

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Amanda Dasher’s father is one of 10 siblings. None of them have a bachelor’s degree from a four-year college or university. Her mother is one of five siblings. None of them have one either.

When Amanda graduates in May with a degree in organizational leadership from Arizona State University – as part of the latest cohort of graduates with the Starbucks College Achievement Plan (SCAP) – it won’t be just her celebrating, it’ll be her entire extended family.

“They’re all cheering me on,” Amanda says. “My degree means the world to me and will be one of the biggest accomplishments I have ever received.”

Amanda grew up in Santa Fe, N.M. Her father was in the Navy. While she was a strong student, she never felt any expectation to attend a four-year school after graduating high school. She didn’t receive much guidance either, in terms of taking standardized tests or filling out college applications and financial-aid forms.

She worked at a restaurant in New Mexico and took classes on-again off-again at a local community college, taking about 10 years to get an associate degree in business.

In 2014, Starbucks first introduced SCAP – which covers 100 percent tuition toward a first-time bachelor’s degree through ASU’s online program. Amanda jumped on the offer soon after. Of the approximately 14,000 U.S. Starbucks partners taking advantage of the SCAP benefit, more than 20 percent, like Amanda, are first-generation college attendees.

She ran into a big roadblock that first year, though. She had just been promoted to store manager in Albuquerque, N.M., and had difficulty juggling classes with running her store full time. She ended up failing three classes and faced academic probation.&nbsp;

“I never expected that to happen,” Amanda says. “I didn’t think I’d be finishing. This was not a proud moment for me, and I knew I had to turn it around.”

But then she found out that she was pregnant with a boy. In 2017, when Mason was born, Amanda had a new motivation: making sure that her son would be proud of his mother, and making sure that he’d grow up with two parents who had college degrees. Her husband, Brandon, also a Starbucks partner, also took advantage of the SCAP benefit and received his degree in 2017. He now works at the Starbucks Support Center (SSC) in Seattle at the Partner Contact Center while she manages a store in Snoqualmie, Wash.

Amanda, 32, hopes to use her degree and continue advancing within Starbucks, maybe applying for a store support role at the SSC, or trying to become a district manager.

She’s also been an evangelist for the SCAP benefit in her stores, talking it up to partners, especially the ones who might need financial help to go to school. She’ll celebrate with one of her shift supervisors, who’s also graduating this May, and three other partners she’s close with are also taking advantage of SCAP.

Amanda was planning to go back to Santa Fe to celebrate with her extended family, but COVID-19 lockdown measures have squelched those plans. She hopes to visit her family when travel restrictions loosen. Her relatives are ready to see her.

“Inside I knew she had it in her, she is a strong individual like that,” says Amanda’s aunt and godmother, Brenda Montoya, of Santa Fe. “The way Amanda was, she just wanted to do it on her own. She just kept at it. It takes a lot of self-discipline.” &nbsp;

Amanda’s honor cords – a recognition of her high GPA – came in the mail recently. Thinking back to the classes she failed when she first started at ASU, she can’t help but be amazed.

“Sometimes, I want to not feel proud of it because it took me so long to get here,” she says. “But it feels great knowing I got it done and I didn’t quit when it got rough.”

‘They are all cheering me on’: Amanda Dasher is first in her family to earn college degree - Starbucks Stories

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‘They are all cheering me on’: Amanda Dasher is first in her family to earn college degree

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About once a week during the summers, when she was a kid growing up in Appleton, Wisc., Sarah Barr’s dad would take her and her two brothers out to the farm fields next to their house. They’d go looking for Native American arrowheads.

They’d stop at the gas station first and load up on snacks – hot dogs and chocolate milk. Then the three kids would follow dad around, spending the day walking the rows of corn, peering hard into the dirt.

“I loved to find the arrowheads in his footprints,” Sarah recalls. “The ones he had missed and stepped right over, I would pick up and make fun of him for not seeing them the first time.”

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Doing good by degrees: How 3 partners are making an impact through Starbucks College Achievement Plan

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