Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) today announced that 40 students from hometowns across its service area will receive scholarships totaling $250,000 from the 2021 Better Together STEM Scholarship Program. Among the awardees are Jazlyn Zendejas and Justin Gentle from Kelseyville.
The PG&E Corporation Foundation (The Foundation) funds the scholarships. This year, The Foundation is funding 20 scholarships of $10,000 each and 20 scholarships of $2,500 each.
The scholarships are given to students pursuing a degree in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) disciplines. STEM education fosters ingenuity, creativity, and experimentation, leading to new ideas, innovations, and technological advancements that can have global impact.
Both Lake County awardees graduated from Kelseyville High School and are attending the University of California, Los Angeles.
“I would like to thank PG&E for this scholarship because it will pay a portion of my tuition and will help lift the burden of financial stress off my shoulders,” said Jazlyn Zendejas, a $10,000 award winner. “Moving to a college 7 hours away from home and being thrown into the real world outside of all I’ve ever known is tough enough. I’ll be able to focus my attention toward excelling in my classes and working toward earning my degree as a Biology major on the pre-med track. Thank you!” added Zendejas.
Scholarships are awarded based on academic achievement, demonstrated participation and leadership in school and community activities, and financial need.
“All of us at PG&E and The Foundation are focused on California’s future and supporting inclusive programs that assist the next generation of creators and innovators in STEM-based fields,” said Robert Kenney, PG&E Senior Vice President, Regulatory and External Affairs, and Chair of The PG&E Corporation Foundation Board of Directors.
Winners must plan to enroll in full-time undergraduate study for the entire 2021-2022 academic year and be seeking their first undergraduate degree at an accredited four-year institution in California.
Supporting Local Scholars
Since 2012, the Better Together STEM Scholarship Program has awarded more than $6.5 million to accomplished students based on a combined demonstration of community leadership, personal triumph, financial need, and academic achievement. These charitable donations will come from PG&E shareholders, not PG&E customers.
In addition to the Better Together STEM Scholarship Program, PG&E’s 10 employee resource groups (ERGs) and two engineering networking groups (ENGs) award scholarships to help offset the cost of higher education. The funds are raised totally through employee donations, employee fundraising events and Campaign for the Community, the company’s employee giving program. Since 1989, more than $5 million ERG scholarships have been received by thousands of recipients.
