Here for What Matters: Empowering Employees through Education

Dollar General understands the power of education and proudly offers benefits that further personal and professional development opportunities for employees and their families – including scholarships, access to zero-cost tuition, and post-secondary education options. Through these offerings, DG helps advance equity and opportunity, carving pathways for its workforce and their families to achieve academic goals and career aspirations.

Examples of inspiring employee stories include:

Stephanie’s Story

Through Dollar General’s partnership with Workforce Edge, a complete employee education management platform, our Longview, Texas district manager Stephanie Ferguson began her journey in 2022 with Capella University.  Stephanie’s plan is to earn a degree in business management with the goal of advancing her career at Dollar General.

With flexible class schedules and zero-cost tuition, Stephanie is able to excel in her classes while working full time and raising her kids. “It sets an example for my kids,” said Stephanie. “Two of them are in college, so going back to finish my degree sets an example for them. They see that it doesn’t matter how long it takes, but you have to try and get it done so you can have more opportunities.”

She uses the skills she’s learned at DG to help her get ahead in her schoolwork, adding, “There have been several classes where other people seem to be struggling just because they don’t have the situational experience to apply besides what they read in the course material like I do from my role at Dollar General.”

Through DG’s partnership with Workforce Edge, the Company offers tuition assistance for select bachelor’s degrees, giving employees the opportunity to pursue an eligible degree for low to no out-of-pocket costs.

Angie’s Story

DG wants what’s best for its employees, and that means providing opportunities for their families to succeed, too. The Company’s partnership with Sophia through Workforce Edge allows for both employees and their family members to take over 60 college-level courses online designed to transfer for credit at over 60 partner institutions.

“Higher education is something that I always kind of wanted to do but felt selfish,” said Angie Wells, a Dollar General district manager in East Central Illinois. “Learning that I didn't have to take away from my family's resources in order to pursue education for myself was empowering.”  

While Angie is using the online, self-paced courses through Strayer University to continue her education journey in-step with her family, her son, Garrett, chose to pursue Sophia Learning courses that DG offers.

Jacob’s Story

Full and part time DG employees and their children can apply for The Turner Family Scholarship, established by Company co-founder Cal Turner Sr. to give his extended family, Dollar General employees, every educational advantage.

Hunter Milburn – the son of Texas-based district manager, Jacob Milburn – is a recent Turner Family Scholarship recipient and is using funds from the scholarship to attend Sam Houston State University, earning his degree in criminal justice.

Jacob couldn’t be prouder to see his son at his ring ceremony, on the path to earning his degree and inspiring his younger sister along the way.

“Watching her big brother go to college has been a big inspiration for her. There’s no doubt in her mind that she’s going to college too. That’s been great for us coming from a little town where most of the kids don’t get to go to college,” said Jacob. “He wouldn't have the opportunities he does without Dollar General’s scholarship.”

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Using education as a tool for Serving Others, Dollar General helps employees and their families reach the opportunities they aspire for and deserve. Whether providing the resources to earn degrees or developing our workforce through world class, award-winning trainings, DG is empowering its people to create brighter futures.

Learn more at hereforwhatmatters.com.