ComEd Encourages Illinois Students to Apply for College Scholarships of up to $10,000 Each
$250,000 ComEd Future of Energy program seeks to build a diverse, inclusive future energy workforce by increasing the number of women, minorities in STEM fields
ComEd launched its Future of Energy program, which will provide up to $250,000 in scholarships for women and minorities pursuing STEM degrees in college. Today through March 28, 2022, students in Illinois can apply for the scholarship program, which will provide financial assistance awards of up to $10,000 and a chance to intern with ComEd.
“A diverse and inclusive workforce is critical to our mission of strengthening the communities we serve, which is why ComEd is making investments today to remove barriers and to build an industry more inclusive with those who have traditionally been left out,” said Diana Sharpe, vice president of large customer operations and interim vice president of economic and workforce development with ComEd. “The ComEd Future of Energy scholarship empowers young leaders and works to see that more people of color and women are prepared to enter careers in the fast-growing energy industry.”
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The Future of Energy program will provide students with scholarship awards ranging from $2,500 to $10,000, which may be used to cover college tuition and related expenses, in addition to the chance to pursue a ComEd internship where students gain direct career experience in the energy industry. As part of the launch of this program, ComEd has awarded five students who recently interned with the company scholarships for this spring.
The new Future of Energy Scholars are either currently enrolled in college or are college-bound this fall. This diverse cohort includes:
- Arianna Burkes, Plainfield East High School grad, Management Information Systems major at Iowa State University of Science and Technology
- Saul Garcia, De La Salle Institute Class of 2022 and future Civil Engineer major
- Isabelle Genin, Downers Grove South grad, Business Administration major at Auburn University
- Ashton Randolph, Hudson Senior High School grad, Electronics & Communications Engineering major at Iowa State University of Science and Technology
- Nena Said, Amos Alonzo Stagg High School grad, Industrial Engineering major at University of Illinois at Chicago
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“The Future of Energy Scholarship will help me realize my dream of becoming a civil engineer,” said Saul Garcia, a senior at De La Salle Institute and resident of Chicago South. “The firsthand experience I’ve had at ComEd through my internships and after school programs has been just as valuable as the financial assistance the scholarship will provide for college.”
To be eligible for a scholarship, students must be accepted into an eligible four-year college degree program, have a minimum 2.8 GPA, and submit an application. Priority consideration will be given to people of color and women; Illinois residents enrolled in an Illinois university or college or Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) across the country; and those demonstrating financial need. ComEd is partnering with the National Energy Education Development (NEED) Project to administer the new scholarship fund.
“Our team at The NEED Project is proud to partner with ComEd and Exelon to expand education and workforce development opportunities to help more women and minorities enter into STEM professions,” said Mary Spruill, Executive Director of The NEED Project. “The ComEd Future of Energy Scholarship program represents the latest in a series of investments that are being made to increase pathways to jobs of the future – which will in turn strengthen the industry and help ComEd continue to attract high quality talent to power our communities.”
The Future of Energy program builds on ComEd’s continued investments in training and education to develop a diverse, local talent pipeline. In addition to the Future of Energy program, ComEd supports an array of initiatives that inspire students to pursue STEM careers, including the DePaul College Prep Scholars Program, Chicago BUILDS, and more. As a result of these investments, over 1,700 participants were served by ComEd-sponsored workforce and education programs last year alone.
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