WILBERFORCE, Ohio
,
Dec. 9, 2020
/PRNewswire/ — Students at
Central State University
will expand its summer institute internship programs, increase virtual learning accessibility, and grow their endowment scholarship funds thanks to a
$500,000
grant from Dominion Energy.
Central State University
is one of 11 historically black colleges and universities benefitting from
Dominion Energy’s six-year “HBCU Promise.”
The program will support endowments, capital projects, operating expenses, and educational programs in clean energy at HBCUs in
Virginia
,
Ohio
,
North Carolina
, and
South Carolina
.
“We are pleased to launch this partnership as it will expose our students to the vast energy industry career opportunities,” said Dr.
Jack Thomas
, President of Central State University. “We are thankful for the investment and are excited to launch this new game-changing initiative that aligns with partnership growth and development,” said Dr. Thomas. “The relationship with Dominion Energy is a great example of how higher education and industry can come together to strategically address workforce development and the diversification of the talent pipeline for the energy sector,” said Dr. Zillah Fluker, Vice-President of Institutional Advancement at CSU.
The grant to
Central State
will offer expanded learning opportunities for students. Midwest’s largest, public HBCU and 1890 Land-Grant Institution,
Central State University
will launch the Dominion Energy Summer Institute, a 12-week study-internship program, including a four-week classroom component followed by an eight-week internship at Dominion Energy. The intensive experiential work-learning program follows the successful career-development program for
Ohio’s
banking industry through its rigorous
Summer Banking Institute
.
Central State University
has established the Center of Excellence for HBCU Corporate Engagement that will serve as a central hub for student talent development best practices and modeling, as well as a research think tank for the development of higher education strategic corporate programs.
The Dominion Energy grant will also seed the Dominion Energy Scholarship, an achievement-based scholarship endowment to help students continue their path to graduation. Underwriting upgrades to IT infrastructure and individual student and classroom technology access for virtual and in-class learning environments. Dominion Energy’s grant will impact hundreds of students throughout their Central State University experience.
“Dominion Energy is proud to partner with
Central State University
in supporting scholarships for students and enhancing the institution’s IT infrastructure to bridge the digital divide,” said
Leighton McCoy
, Vice President, Gas Distribution Technical Services. “This grant will also provide real-world work experience through student internships as they explore their career options. We look forward to uplifting
Central State University
students and highlighting their achievements as they pursue excellence and success.”
Dominion Energy also has committed
$10 million
in scholarships to assist African American and other underrepresented minority students who reside in the company’s service area. Students can learn more and apply at
DominionEnergy.com/EquityScholarships
.
About
Central State University
:
Central State University
, located in
Wilberforce, Ohio
, is a regionally accredited 1890 Land-Grant University with a
133-year tradition
of preparing students from diverse backgrounds and experiences for leadership, research, and service. The University, which has been named HBCU of the Year by HBCU Digest, fosters academic excellence within a nurturing environment and provides a strong liberal arts foundation and STEM-Ag curriculum leading to professional careers and advanced studies globally.
About Dominion Energy:
More than
7 million customers in 16 states
energize their homes and businesses with electricity or natural gas from Dominion Energy (NYSE: D), headquartered in Richmond, Va. The company is
committed to sustainable, reliable, affordable and safe energy
and to achieving net zero carbon dioxide and methane emissions from its power generation and gas infrastructure operations by 2050. Please visit
DominionEnergy.com
to learn more.
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http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/central-state-university-receives-grant-from-dominion-energy-for-it-infrastructure-scholarship-endowment-and-study-internships-301189571.html
SOURCE
Central State University
/Dominion Energy Ohio
