Bloomin' Brands Contributes $300,000 To Establish Elizabeth Smith Endowment At HCC

TAMPA, FL — In recognition of a distinguished business career and more than a decade of service at Bloomin’ Brands Inc., Bloomin’ Brands is investing $300,000 to establish a scholarship endowment through the Hillsborough Community College Foundation to honor retired chairman and CEO and current member of the board of directors, Liz Smith.

“Hillsborough Community College is proud to be receiving this gift in honor of Liz Smith’s tremendous career at Bloomin’ Brands,” said HCC President Ken Atwater. “With both a majority female workforce and student population, this gift supporting the development of female leaders is especially meaningful to our college.”

The gift will fund the Elizabeth Smith Endowed Scholarship and will provide three full annual scholarships to female students for the duration of their studies at HCC. Priority will be given to eligible students with a major in business operations/management and secondarily to those with the greatest financial need.

“I am grateful for this recognition and look forward to following the success of the outstanding HCC students chosen to receive this financial support,” said Smith. “I hope these scholarships will inspire more women to consider a career in the operations side of business, and ultimately result in more female business leaders.”

The scholarships will be awarded in spring 2023 for students beginning their studies in the fall of that same year. Subsequently, they will be awarded every year in that same time frame.

For more information on the Elizabeth Smith Endowed Scholarship, contact Stephen Shear at sshear2@hccfl.edu or visit the foundation's website.