May 3, 2023 |Education, National Grid, News, Scholarships

National Grid Opens Scholarship Applications for Diverse Engineering Students

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Up to 12 candidates pursuing associate or bachelor’s degrees in engineering to receive as much as $10k in scholarship funding and a paid summer internship with National Grid’s MA or NY businesses.

Launched in 2022 to advance skill training opportunities and a clear pathway to employment in energy for underrepresented talent.

Applications for the 2023-2024 academic year will be accepted from April 25 to May 22, 2023.

Applications are now being accepted for National Grid’s “Charging Our Future” Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Engineering Scholarship Program for high school seniors and college students interested in pursuing engineering degrees and exploring rewarding careers in energy, the company announced today.

Now in its second year, the program has expanded to support more students from low- and moderate-income communities, awarding up to twelve candidates for the 2023- 2024 academic year. Each selected candidate will receive as much as $10,000 in scholarship funding and a paid summer internship at one of National Grid’s Massachusetts or New York business locations.

“I’m proud that we continue to live our values at National Grid by expanding our DEI Engineering Scholarship Program to reach more aspiring engineers with better opportunities to drive innovation,. To deliver a clean energy future for all, we must ensure our workforce represents the communities we serve and empower the leaders of tomorrow to bring new ideas and perspectives to the table. Reaching critical net zero goals requires an inclusive workforce that strongly values fresh approaches to ongoing challenges.”

Natalie Edwards, Chief Diversity Officer, National Grid

Leading the transition to a clean, fair, and affordable energy future, National Grid is dedicated to investing in the next generation of industry professionals, providing individuals—particularly those from lower-income communities—with pathways to meaningful careers. The company places diversity, equity, and inclusion at the center of its operations, with a commitment to achieving 50% diversity in its senior leadership team and new talent programs by 2025, as outlined in its Responsible Business Charter.

DEI Engineering Scholarships were awarded to five students in 2022. Recipients are now gearing up for Summer 2023 internships—part of National Grid’s annual Gridtern Program—where they will put their education into practice on the job, network with peers, and volunteer in the local community.

College freshman Miguel Leonarte says the program will enable him to apply new skills in a diverse, collaborative work environment.

“Coming from a small Latino community, I want to see more representation in the engineering field. The National Grid scholarship caught my attention because it’s oriented toward increasing diversity in engineering across Massachusetts,” said Leonarte. “While the monetary award reduces the financial burden of attending college, the internship program gives me the opportunity to receive hands-on experience alongside others in my field and get involved in projects that matter.”

National Grid is driving the clean energy transition in the Northeast U.S.—building a smarter, stronger, cleaner energy system by accelerating renewable generation, advancing fossil-free heating, and readying the transmission grid for a highly electrified future for all customers.

To be eligible for National Grid’s “Charging Our Future” DEI Engineering Scholarship Program, applicants must:

• Come from a home with a household income of less than 80% of the HUD median
• Be high school seniors or college students residing and attending school in Massachusetts or New York
• Plan to enroll or be enrolled in full-time undergraduate study at an accredited two- or four-year college or university for the entire 2023-2024 academic year
• Major in an engineering discipline
• Maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.8 or above
• Accept a paid summer internship with National Grid in the summer of 2024

Awards are renewable for up to three additional years or until an undergraduate degree is earned, based on academic performance, full-time enrollment in an eligible major, and the completion of the summer internship program.

The deadline for applications is May 22, 2023

The program is administered by Scholarship America.

The above press release was submitted to us by Mayor Nicholson’s office, with additional info. from National Grid.