Kaylen Pocaterra
Announcement from Starbucks:
Kaylen Pocaterra, barista from Los Alamos, will graduate Monday, Dec. 11 from Arizona State University with a bachelor’s degree.
Starbucks is committed to elevating the partner (employee) experience and dedicated to offering partners a bridge to a better future. One way Starbucks has done this since 2014, is through the Starbucks College Achievement Plan (SCAP), which provides all eligible U.S. partners (employees) an opportunity to earn their first-time bachelor’s degree with 100 percent upfront tuition coverage.
The company was at the forefront of this movement as one of the first in the industry to offer tuition assistance in 2014. And the program has continued to evolve to create an outstanding experience for more than 25,000 partners participating in the program today. While the partnership started with the sole focus on helping partners finish college, it has since evolved into much more.
And nearly 1,000 Starbucks partners from across the US will graduate on Dec. 11 from Arizona State University with their bachelor’s degree. This is not only the largest graduating class to date but brings the total number of graduates to more than 12,000 partners since the program’s inception.
By 2025, Starbucks’ total expected investment in their partners educational journey will be approximately $250 million. Unlike many other companies, the SCAP program provides 100 percent upfront tuition coverage with no yearly limit, over 140-degree programs, and partners can apply for SCAP on day one with no strings attached after graduation.
SCAP meets partners where they are in their own personal journeys and Starbucks has helped them bridge to a better future, supporting them on their path to reaching their December 11th graduation ceremony.
Starbucks partners like Kaylen Pocaterra, barista from Los Alamos, whose mother, a former educator, emphasized the importance of education from an early age. Pocaterra consistently dreamed of returning to school and earning a bachelor’s degree, and that goal came into fruition at Starbucks. She will get the opportunity to walk across the ASU stage with her mom cheering her on from the audience.
“My pursuit of a bachelor’s degree in Technological Entrepreneurship and Management is inherently linked to the spirit of innovation and the drive to create a better world,” Pocaterra shared. “And I’m eagerly anticipating when my mom will witness me walking across the stage at ASU, a moment that symbolizes not only my dedication but also the enduring value she placed on education. Her unwavering belief in the power of knowledge continues to inspire and shape my pursuit of a brighter future.”
Evans Kaddu
And Evans Kaddu, shift supervisor from Fredericksburg, VA moved to the U.S. from Uganda around 5 years ago. He credits the SCAP program for wanting to join Starbucks as he had hopes of earning a U.S. college degree. Fast forward 5 years, he has accomplished that dream and will officially walk during this graduation ceremony.
“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,” shared Kaddu. “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. It took me a while to get back to school but what made me stay with the company regardless was the warmth of the people. From the partners to the customers, everyone was so friendly and supportive, and it was nothing like I had experienced.”
Starbucks has always been a company steeped in humanity, respect, and shared success. It is a company committed to listening to its partners and creating a bridge to a better future for them while delivering innovation and an increasingly more elevated and differentiated experience to its customers.