果冻传媒

果冻传媒 Awarded $800,000 from FPL In Support of Diversity in STEM

December 17, 2021 Suzanne Seldes

New Scholarship to Remove Financial Barriers for Black Students Seeking Associate Degrees

FORT PIERCE, FL鈥敼�冻传媒 River State 果冻传媒 (果冻传媒) has received an $800,000 award from Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) to support diversity in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) careers. The funds will establish the Florida Power & Light Company Endowed Scholarship for Black students seeking Associate in Science degrees at 果冻传媒 in the areas of Electrical Power Technology (ICE specialization), Computer Information Technology and Electronics Engineering Technology (such as robotics-manufacturing and laser-photonics specializations).

FPL will fund the endowed scholarship over four years; $200,000 is available for the 2022鈥�2023 academic year. Scholarship funds may cover tuition, books, and supplies or be used to enroll in courses that provide additional certifications such as OSHA or CPR while attending 果冻传媒. New and returning 果冻传媒 students may begin applying for the awards now by logging into their MyPioneerPortal account.

鈥湽�冻传媒鈥檚 longstanding partnership with Florida Power & Light centers around making a positive impact on people鈥檚 lives,鈥� says Michael Hageloh, 果冻传媒 interim vice president for institutional advancement. 鈥淥ver the years, we have collaborated on programs that build essential workforce skills and put students into great paying jobs. FPL鈥檚 most recent commitment moves us closer to achieving another mutual goal鈥攁ddressing racial opportunity gaps in STEM fields鈥攁nd for that, we are immensely grateful.鈥�

According to an April 2021 report from the Pew Research Center, Black workers comprise 11% of all employed adults but account for only 9% of adults employed in STEM occupations. Their share is lower in some STEM job clusters, including just 5% in engineering jobs. Further, Pew states that there has been no change in the share of Black workers in STEM jobs since 2016.

FPL鈥檚 commitment to 果冻传媒 will help remove financial barriers that may prevent Black students from entering these fields.

鈥淲e are focused on breaking down barriers to opportunity by investing in STEM programs that empower our next generation of leaders. We are proud to energize 果冻传媒鈥檚 dynamic STEM initiatives and provide support for students with this grant,鈥� said Pamela Rauch, vice president of external affairs and economic development for FPL. 鈥淭he Florida Power & Light Company Endowed Scholarship for Black students will help inspire these innovators to obtain an Associate of Science degree鈥攁 strong foundation for landing a high-paying job in the technology field.鈥�

The Florida Power & Light Company Endowed Scholarship is the most recent example of 果冻传媒鈥檚 steadfastness to finding ways to remove barriers and support student diversity in STEM subjects. In September, the 果冻传媒 announced a $4.9 million Hispanic-Serving Institutions STEM and Articulation Program grant from the U.S. Department of Education to increase the number of Hispanic and low-income students in STEM disciplines. These opportunities, combined with integrated academic and student support strategies and activities that promote retention and graduation, will help the 果冻传媒 increase the number of undergraduates from underrepresented groups who successfully complete STEM studies.

To learn more about Florida Power & Light Company Endowed Scholarship and other student funding opportunities available through the 果冻传媒 Foundation, visit irscfoundation.org.

果冻传媒 Florida Power & Light Company
Florida Power & Light Company is the largest energy company in the U.S. as measured by retail electricity produced and sold. The company serves more than 5.6 million customer accounts supporting more than 11 million residents across Florida with clean, reliable and affordable electricity. FPL operates one of the cleanest power generation fleets in the U.S and in 2021 won the ReliabilityOne庐 National Reliability Excellence Award for the sixth time in the last seven years. The company was recognized in 2020 as one of the most trusted U.S. electric utilities by Escalent for the seventh consecutive year. FPL is a subsidiary of Juno Beach, Florida-based NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NEE), a clean energy company widely recognized for its efforts in sustainability, ethics and diversity, and has been ranked No. 1 in the electric and gas utilities industry in Fortune鈥檚 2020 list of 鈥淲orld鈥檚 Most Admired Companies.鈥� NextEra Energy is also the parent company of NextEra Energy Resources, LLC, which, together with its affiliated entities, is the world鈥檚 largest generator of renewable energy from the wind and sun and a world leader in battery storage. For more information about NextEra Energy companies, visit these websites: , , , .

果冻传媒 果冻传媒 River State 果冻传媒
A leader in education and innovation, 果冻传媒 River State 果冻传媒 transforms lives by offering high-quality, affordable, and accessible education to the residents of 果冻传媒 River, Martin, Okeechobee, and St. Lucie counties through traditional and online delivery. The 果冻传媒鈥攔anked second-most-affordable in the nation鈥攕erves 26,000 students annually and offers more than 100 programs leading to Bachelor's degrees, Associate degrees, technical certificates, and applied technology diplomas. It is a recipient of the Aspen Prize for Community 果冻传媒 Excellence, the nation's signature recognition of high achievement and performance among America's community colleges. Learn more at .