FedEx to offer hub employees free tuition to University of Memphis online programs

Jennifer Pignolet | Memphis Commercial Appeal

FedEx will offer free tuition to its Memphis-based employees to earn an online degree from the University of Memphis.

About 11,000 employees at the company's international hub will be eligible for the Learning inspired by FedEx (LiFE) program, according to a release from the university.

UofM Global, the university's online arm, has 60 graduate and undergraduate degree programs.

The partnership will also allow employees who lack a high school diploma to earn a high school-equivalent degree.

"Employees may participate in the LiFE program as long as they work at the FedEx Hub and remain in good academic standing," the release states. "The benefit has no tenure requirement, allowing employees to begin participating as early as their first day of employment."

A FedEx spokesperson said no one from the company was available to speak about the program on Friday.

"FedEx Express is excited to be working with the University of Memphis to offer our team members at the Memphis World Hub the opportunity to earn a tuition-free degree," Barbara Wallander, senior vice president of human resources, said in the release. "We expect the LiFE program to make a difference in the lives of our team members, and we remain deeply committed to supporting our community here in our hometown of Memphis."

Richard Irwin, the U of M's vice provost for academic innovation and support services and dean of UofM Global, said in the release the program is an effort for FedEx to "use higher education attainment as a solution to an employee retention challenge."

"When developing the collaboration with the University, FedEx identified three primary challenges that its employees face when pursuing higher education: financial constraints, anxiety about returning to school, and, in some instances, lack of a high school diploma," the release said. "The new LiFE program addresses each of these concerns by allowing the employees of the FedEx Memphis Hub access to the suite of educational services and opportunities available through UofM Global as part of the FedEx tuition assistance benefit."

University President David Rudd called FedEx "extremely important" to the university and the city.

"It's a tremendous opportunity that will open the door for thousands of FedEx Express employees to pursue a degree through UofM Global, reaffirming our mission of removing barriers to postsecondary education and providing a quality education for all," Rudd said in the release.

Employees can register for the program at uofmglobal.memphis.edu/LiFE.

Reach Jennifer Pignolet at jennifer.pignolet@commercialappeal.com or on Twitter @JenPignolet.