FPL pledges nearly $1 million to facilitate degree completion in tech
MDC and longtime collaborator and supporter Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) announced an $800,000 investment in scholarships for Black students to facilitate the completion of baccalaureate degrees in the technology field.
The scholarship funds will be used to cover tuition, fees, books and transportation costs for students facing a financial need over the next four years. Additionally, the Miami Dade College Foundation will create an endowed fund to allow for the sustainability of the program, providing scholarships in perpetuity. This development comes as Tech Equity Miami is officially launched to celebrate a $100 million investment in tech in Miami, with MDC as the educational partner.
“It is extremely satisfying to have partners such as FPL who are raising the bar of good corporate citizenship, investing in our students and, in turn, in our community,” said MDC President Madeline Pumariega. “We must be intentional and strategic in our efforts to bridge the opportunity divide. I am especially grateful with this initiative because it is in line with and expands many things we are already doing with our groundbreaking Rising Black Scholars Program, our MOSAIC Initiative, Data Science 4 All and others.”
Eligible students will begin qualifying for the grants during the summer 2022 term.
Get more information and apply for the scholarship.
According to research, low-income working college students are less likely than their higher-income peers to get good grades or obtain bachelor’s degrees. These working learners are disproportionately Black. The scholarship funds will potentially enable students who have to work while attending school, to either stop working or work fewer hours, allowing them to focus on completing their education and entering the tech workforce.
MDC’s acclaimed School of Engineering and Technology (EnTec) will lead the recruitment, selection and retention of students in a pathway to MDC baccalaureate degree programs such as in Information Systems Technology, Cybersecurity, or Data Analytics.
Original source can be found here.
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