GASTONIA, N.C. (June 23, 2021) – Sixty students from diverse backgrounds, including five from North Carolina, make up the first class of Dominion Energy Educational Equity Scholars and will receive over $500,0000 to help pay for educational expenses as part of Dominion Energy’s larger commitment to African American and other underrepresented minority students. North Carolina recipients of the Educational Equity Scholarship Program are:

• Alexa Brzoska of Cornelius, Duke University
• Jamel Clarke of Raleigh, North Carolina State University
• Cecilia Chavez of Charlotte, Columbia College
• Jael Hall of Mooresville, Longwood University
• Wisdom Talley of Elon, Howard University

"A college education is one key path to a successful career. This will help reduce the financial hurdle," said Robert M. Blue, Dominion Energy's chair, president and chief executive officer. "All students should have access to a quality education and the many doors a college degree opens."

These scholarships are the first in a six-year, $10 million initiative to provide assistance with higher education expenses. The inaugural class is comprised of students hailing from eight states. Seventeen students enrolled in two-year schools will receive $5,000 each. Forty-three students enrolled in four-year schools will receive $10,000 each. Scholarship recipients will be able to renew scholarships as they progress in school, provided they meet certain criteria, such as GPA requirements and residence in an eligible state. The program is administered by Scholarship America, a nonprofit that specializes in management of scholarship and tuition assistance programs.

"Due to this scholarship, I am privileged enough to continue my academic endeavors. This scholarship makes me feel proud of my perseverance throughout high school and rewards my efforts tenfold,” said scholarship recipient Cecilia Chavez. “To my family, this scholarship means the out-of-pocket expenses for school next year are lowered. It’s humbling to know big companies care about future scholars in their communities and I could not be more grateful to Dominion Energy.”

Another $9.5 million in Dominion Energy Educational Equity Scholarships will be awarded over the next five years. Dominion Energy also committed $25 million to 11 historically Black colleges and universities in Virginia, Ohio, North Carolina and South Carolina. The six-year HBCU Promise^SM program will support endowments, capital projects, operating expenses and educational programs in clean energy.
 

NOTE: Photos and biographies of this year's awardees are available at news.dominionenergy.com/scholars. To interview a scholarship recipient, please contact Persida Montanez at persida.montanez@dominionenergy.com to coordinate.
 

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.