Rent-A-Center Awards $100,000 to Qualified Recipients through Make A Difference Scholarship Program

May 24, 2022 at 3:40 PM EDT

PLANO, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 24, 2022-- Rent-A-Center, Inc. (NASDAQ: RCII) (“Rent-A-Center” or the “Company”), a leader in the lease-to-own industry, recently partnered with Scholarship America to award customers, customers’ children and coworkers’ children with $100,000 worth of scholarships through the Make A Difference Scholarship program. This was RAC’s 18th year working with Scholarship America to award 40 qualified current and prospective students each with $2,500 to be used toward higher education expenses.

Recipients were selected based on academic record, demonstrated leadership, participation in school, community involvement, honors, work experience, statement of goals/aspirations and unusual personal or family circumstances. Recipients were selected across all Rent-A-Center divisions, including Get It Now!, Home Choice, AcceptanceNOW/Acima and Rent-A-Center Franchising International, Inc.

“As a company, we strive to enrich the lives of our nation’s youth by providing them the opportunity to reach their full potential,” said Mitch Fadel, Rent-A-Center CEO. “By offering the Make a Difference Scholarship, our charitable efforts support students in the pursuit of higher education. We believe earning a college education can make a huge difference in everyone’s life by offering them the opportunity to be the best they can be.”

This scholarship improves the quality of life for students each year, helping them to achieve their dreams, and Rent-A-Center is honored to have the opportunity to do so once again.

Emmaleigh Clark, daughter of Matthew Clark, Manager-Advance Analytics at Rent-A-Center’s Field Support Center in Plano, Texas, is grateful to receive the Make A Difference Scholarship and hopes to put the money towards pursuing her passion of becoming a nurse at the University of Texas at Austin.

“I was so excited when I found out I had received the RAC scholarship,” Clark said. “This will allow me to take the next steps in my dream career of becoming a nurse.”

James “Jay” Whitlock III, son of Sherry Whitlock, a customer from Cincinnati, Ohio, was appreciative to have been selected for this scholarship, as it will help to relieve financial burden as he continues to pursue his degree.

“I want to thank the Rent-A-Center Make A Difference Scholarship board for investing in my education and allowing me to continue my journey at North Carolina A&T,” Whitlock III said.

Since 2004, Rent-A-Center has awarded more than $1,113,750.00 to students through the Make A Difference Scholarship program.

The following is a list of recipients who have given permission for their names to be used in media:

Jeffrey Allen, Princeton, NC
Dominic Arredondo, Clute, TX
Deandra Avalos, Seguin, TX
Armstride Belizaire, West Palm Beach, FL
Arieona Brooks, Chicago Heights, IL
Amaya Bush, Port Arthur, TX
Farhan Buvvaji, Plano, TX
Nicholas Calton, Rensselaer Falls, NY
Jayda Green, Verona, PA
Shelby Greenwell, Clearfield, UT
Nysa Harisis, Venus, TX
Sabrina Hatfield, Tulsa, OK
Hannah Kells, Fort Riley, KS
Aleyana Mitchell, Edgewood, MD
Macayla Moore, Springfield, OH
Ava Odom, Eupora, MS
Morgan Orgeron, Youngsville, LA
Victoria Orie, Virginia Beach, VA
Eva Overstreet, Joplin, MO

Thierry Campbell, Riviera Beach, FL
Lauren Carrier, Agawam, MA
Hannah Cheatham, Frisco, TX
Emmaleigh Clark, Plano, TX
Michael Cole, Greencastle, IN
Piper Cole, Burlington, IA
Leslie Ford, Woodburn, KY
Meghan Frazier, Osage Beach, MO
Sheldon Padgett, Middle River, MD
Lariana Rodriguez, Bayamon, PR
Casandra Smith, Prosper, TX
Malachi Thorsen, Jacksonville, NC
Kiana Valdez, Waipahu, HI
Morgan Vanaman, Fayetteville, PA
Taylor Vanaman, Fayetteville, PA
Stephanie Vellon, Willimantic, CT
James Whitlock III, Mason, OH
Keeley Wood, Dallas, TX

Rent-A-Center, Inc. (NASDAQ: RCII) is a leading provider of technology driven, flexible, no debt obligation leasing solutions that offer underserved consumers access to and potential ownership of high-quality durable goods that enhance the quality of life. The company’s omni-channel model utilizes proprietary data and technology to facilitate transactions across a wide range of retail channels including its own Acima virtual lease-to-own platform, Rentacenter.com, e-commerce partner platforms, partner retail stores, and Rent-A-Center branded stores. For additional information about the Company, please visit our website Rentacenter.com or Investor.rentacenter.com.

Shenekqual “Nikki” Carter
Community Affairs Specialist
817-946-5257 (Cell)
CommunityAffairs@rentacenter.com

Source: Rent-A-Center, Inc.