ORLANDO, Fla., Sept. 7, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- School pride during fall football season at HBCUs is unmatched but, this year, Pepsi is giving students one more way to level up their unapologetic fandom and another reason to celebrate. Pepsi is rallying HBCU students and alumni to vote for their favorite university, unlocking a $25,000 donation to the winning school's general scholarship fund. Following the return of the Orange Blossom Classic on Sunday, fans will be able to cast their vote on September 7th, while getting hyped up with a playlist curated by actor and North Carolina A&T State University alum Terrence J.

"As a long-time resident of the South, I love the energy, spirit, and sense of community that HBCUs bring, especially around the highly anticipated return of football. This scholarship opportunity isn't just open to students and alumni to cast their votes, but to anyone who shares pride and enthusiasm for these great institutions. I have a strong passion for HBCUs, and I am proud of the work we continue to do spotlighting these schools across the South to support and foster opportunities for students," said Chauncey Hamlett, Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, PepsiCo Beverages North America (South Division).

Earlier this year, Pepsi became the primary beverage sponsor of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) and announced their partnership with Jackson State Coach Prime aka Deion Sanders as an ambassador, as part of the brand's larger commitment to HBCUs.

"I'm happy to build on the work we've done with Pepsi and SWAC and push this partnership forward to bring even more attention to HBCUs. While I know which school I am rooting for, my goal is to continue to make progress for the overall greater good of the students and communities. This $25,000 scholarship donation will make such an impact on HBCU students' education and therefore career growth in the future," said Coach Prime. 

HBCU fans can visit http://www.pepsipromos.com/hbcu, select Choose Your School, then cast their vote for their school. Fans can vote one time per day during the voting period. While on the site, fans can also check out the HBCU Homecoming Spotify playlist curated by Terrence J.

The $25,000 HBCU donation is the latest step to further the Pepsi brand's ongoing commitment to working with HBCUs and fostering Black talent, as part of the larger PepsiCo Racial Equity Journey.

Voting is open now through December 3, 2021, and the winning school will be announced shortly after voting closes. To read the official rules, visit www.pepsipromos.com/hbcu

About PepsiCo 
PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers more than one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated more than $70 billion in net revenue in 2020, driven by a complementary food and beverage portfolio that includes Frito-Lay, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Quaker, Tropicana and SodaStream. PepsiCo's product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including 23 brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales.

Guiding PepsiCo is our vision to Be the Global Leader in Convenient Foods and Beverages by Winning with Purpose. "Winning with Purpose" reflects our ambition to win sustainably in the marketplace and embed purpose into all aspects of our business strategy and brands. For more information, visit www.pepsico.com 

SOURCE PepsiCo Beverages North America