Sodexho USA Provides $50,000 to Support NAFEO'S HBCU Best Practices Institute Project

GAITHERSBURG, MD, June 27, 2005- Sodexho USA (NYSE-SDX), the nation's leading food and facilities management services provider announced a $50,000 grant to the National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education's (NAFEO) Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) Best Practices Institute project.

“As the proud food service and facilities management provider to HBCUs across the USA, Sodexho is pleased to support this important project that recognizes and promotes best practices that will help to enhance retention and graduation rates among African-American students,” said Curtiss Stancil, vice president of emerging markets at Sodexho USA.

The Best Practices Institute project will examine what combination of demographic, academic, environmental, economic/financial, social, civic, administrative and other factors lead to the success of HBCUs in retaining and graduating African- American students, particularly in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) areas.

“We are pleased to have Sodexho supporting our efforts to address the national challenge of the educational divide between African Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans, and White and Asian Americans,” said Lezli Baskerville, J.D., president and CEO of NAFEO.

According to NAFEO, HBCUs represent only three percent of all colleges and universities, yet they enroll sixteen percent of all African Americans in 4-year degree granting institutions. HBCUs also graduate disproportionately higher numbers of African-American students, especially in STEM and health disciplines.

“These factors suggest that HBCUs are doing something right relative to the education of traditionally underrepresented students, especially African Americans,” continued Baskerville. “There are lessons to be learned from HBCUs that have distinguished themselves in retaining and graduating African American students and ensuring they are prepared for graduate education and the workforce. Sodexho has committed to support NAFEO in modeling these best practices.”

NAFEO, in collaboration with the Educational Testing Service (ETS), will conduct a number of representative case studies to identify promising and best practices for retaining and graduating HBCU students, adapt the findings into several working models and document and disseminate the findings. NAFEO will work with its members, historically and predominately black colleges and universities, to replicate the promising and best practices.

About NAFEO
NAFEO is the non-profit, tax-exempt, professional association of the presidents and chancellors of the nation's 120 historically and predominately black colleges and universities (HBCUs). The mission of the Association is as follows: to champion the interests of HBCUs with the executive, legislative, regulatory and judicial branches of federal and state government, as well as with corporations, foundations, associations and non-governmental organizations; to provide services to NAFEO members; to build the capacity of HBCUs, their executives, administrators, faculty, staff and students; and to serve as a voice for blacks in higher education.

Sodexho USA (www.sodexhoUSA.com) is the leading provider of food and facilities management in the United States, with $6 billion in annual revenue and 120,000+ employees. Sodexho USA offers innovative outsourcing solutions in food service, housekeeping, grounds keeping, plant operations and maintenance, asset management, and laundry services to more than 6,000 corporations, health care, long term care and retirement centers, schools, college campuses, military and remote sites in North America. Headquartered in Gaithersburg, MD, Sodexho USA proudly serves as the official food service provider for the US Marine Corps.