Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) announced that scholarship applications are now being accepted for college-bound high schoolers as well as current college and continuing education students with a primary residence in Northern and Central California.
More than 100 awards totaling nearly $200,000 are being made available through scholarships created by PG&E’s employee resource (ERG) and engineering network groups (ENG). These groups support and advance diversity, equity and inclusion within PG&E and the hometowns it serves.
These scholarships are awarded annually to help offset the cost of higher education. ERG and ENG scholarship winners will receive awards ranging from $1,000 to $6,000 for exemplary scholastic achievement and community leadership.
PG&E ERG and ENG scholarship information, including criteria and applications, is available on PG&E’s website. To be considered for a scholarship, all applications must be submitted by Feb. 25, 2022.
“Our ERG and ENG scholarships will help develop our future leaders and breakthrough thinkers. Many of our recipients are the first in their families to attend college. These scholarships are especially valuable to some of our applicants who’ve experienced financial challenges due to COVID-19. These awards are one way we’re delivering for our hometowns,” said Julius Cox, PG&E executive vice president.
“As a first-generation college student, I never thought college would be a possibility for me due to financial hardships. It’s through scholarships like the PG&E Latino ERG scholarship that I’ll be able to continue my journey to higher education and making my dream of attending college a reality,” said Rebecca Hernandez, a 2021 Latino ERG scholarship recipient, who’s majoring in ethnic studies at the University of California at Santa Barbara.
Since 1989, PG&E’s ERGs and ENGs have awarded more than $5 million in scholarships to thousands of recipients. The funds are raised totally through employee donations, employee fundraising events and Campaign for the Community, the company’s employee giving program.
More than 6,000 PG&E employees belong to the ERGs and ENGs. Each group helps further the company’s commitment to serving its hometowns and growing employee engagement.
PG&E’s ERG and ENG scholarships are available through these 13 groups: Access Network (individuals with disabilities); Asian; Black; Latino; Legacy (tenured employees); MEENA (Middle East, Europe, and North Africa); National Society of Black Engineers (STEM career employees); NuEnergy (newer employees); PrideNetwork (LGBTQ+ employees); Samahan (Filipino); Society for Hispanic Professional Engineers (STEM career employees); Veterans; and Women’s Network.
In addition to the PG&E scholarships, the Pacific Service Employees Association (PSEA), a non-profit mutual benefit organization serving PG&E employees and retirees, also provides scholarships for dependents of company employees.