The Goizueta Foundation has given $4.998 million to Georgia State University to recruit, retain and graduate Latino students while providing them with leadership skills.

Georgia State announced the grant on Nov. 17.

The university said that the funds will be used to further the accomplishments of the Latino Leadership Pipeline in which 100 promising Latino high school students will each receive $10,000 annual scholarships, academic support for college and internships designed to launch them as successful business and community leaders.

According to a news release, Georgia State leads all universities in Georgia in Latino student enrollment with graduation rates improving from 38 percent in 2000 to 59 percent in 2010.

“This award will help us accomplish our goal of establishing a national model for undergraduate education where students from all backgrounds achieve academic and career success at high rates,” said the university’s president, Mark Becker.

The gift is the third and largest grant the foundation has made to Georgia State focused on Latino student success. Past gifts totaling more than $2.5 million established the Goizueta Foundation Scholarship Endowment and Latino Freshman Learning Communities, provided need-based scholarships to Latino students and created the Latino Leadership initiative.

The freshman communities program provides for groups of 25 freshmen students to meet together for academic and social support.

In their sophomore and junior years, the students mentor Latino high school students as they consider and prepare for college and tutor Georgia state undergraduates who are struggling academically.

As seniors, each student receives internship and service learning assignments, providing experiences in the professional world while giving back to their local communities.

Roberto C. Goizueta, former chairman and CEO of Coca-Cola Co., established the Goizueta Foundation in 1992 to provide financial assistance to educational and charitable institutions.

For more information, contact Joe Piffaretti, senior director, corporate and foundation relations, at 404-413-3415.