On the heels of National STEM/STEAM Day, Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) and The PG&E Corporation Foundation (The Foundation) announced that 150 STEM scholarships totaling $500,000 are being awarded to deserving students. Recipients include a diverse group of college-bound high schoolers, and current college and continuing education students in Northern and Central California.
Scholarships are funded through PG&Es Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), Engineering Network Groups (ENGs) and The Better Together STEM scholarship program of The Foundation.
The scholarships are awarded to help offset the cost of higher education. ERG scholarship winners will receive awards ranging from $1,000 to $6,000 for exemplary scholastic achievement and community leadership.
The Better Together STEM Scholarship program awarded 40 scholarships totaling $250,000. Students will receive a one-time scholarship of $2,500 to $10,000 to assist in their pursuit of higher education in engineering, computer science, cybersecurity or environmental sciences at colleges and universities in California. The recipients are from 16 counties in PG&Es service area and are attending 11 California universities, pursuing 16 STEM-related majors.
“This scholarship helps me, and my family, make this next step in my education and my future career possible,” said Manuel Anguiano, who is studying mechanical and aerospace engineering at the University of California, Davis. “I know the journey will not be easy, but I plan to accomplish every last one of my aspirations I have for my life. Thank you to The Better Together Scholarship program for making this possible.”
“Thank you for The Better Together STEM Scholarship which will help me achieve my goal of completing a degree in engineering. The financial assistance will be of great help to me in paying educational expenses, and allow me to concentrate more time on studying, tutoring, leading the engineering club and on my water treatment research. I am very grateful,” said Ezana Mesfin, mechanical engineering student at California State University, Fresno.
“Students like Manuel and Ezana are California’s future. We’re pleased to support students with scholarships to help prepare this next generation of innovators, creators and leaders in our state in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM). These dedicated students will help to ensure that our collective future is bright,” said Stephanie Isaacson, Executive Director of The PG&E Corporation Foundation.
Since 1989, PG&E’s ERGs and ENGs have awarded approximately $5 million in scholarships to thousands of recipients. The funds are raised totally through employee donations, employee fundraising events and The Campaign for the Community, the company’s employee giving program.
Since 2012, The Better Together STEM scholarship program has given nearly $3.6 million to accomplished students based on a combined demonstration of community leadership, personal triumph, financial need and academic achievement. Funds for The Better Together STEM scholarships come from The Foundation, which is dedicated to supporting charities that address critical social, educational and environmental challenges in the company’s service area.
More than 5,000 PG&E employees belong to the ERGs and ENGs. Each group helps further the company’s commitment to serving its communities and growing employee engagement.
PG&E’s ERG and ENG scholarships are available through these 12 groups: Access Network (individuals with disabilities); Asian; Black; Latino; Legacy (tenured employees); National Society of Black Engineers (STEM career employees); NuEnergy (new employees); PrideNetwork (LGBT employees); Samahan (Filipino); Society for Hispanic Professional Engineers (STEM career employees); Veterans and Women’s Network.
