Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation Commits Over $1 Million to 7 Universities to Support Promesa: Hispanic Higher Education Initiative

RICHMOND, Va., Sept. 22, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation has committed $1,050,000 over the next three years for the new Promesa: Hispanic Higher Education Initiative, which will support Hispanic students at seven colleges and universities.

George Mason University, Northern Virginia Community College, Sampson Community College, The University of Connecticut at Stamford, The University of North Carolina at Pembroke, The University of Puerto Rico Mayaguez Campus, and Utah Valley University will each receive $50,000 per year for three years to support this effort.

"As we begin Hispanic Heritage Month and honor the contributions that Latinos have made to our nation, we are so proud to announce the Promesa initiative," said Carter Reid, Executive Vice President and Chief of Staff for Dominion Energy. "This investment supports Hispanic college students in achieving their professional and personal goals, while also exposing them to career paths in the energy industry."

With Promesa, Dominion Energy builds on a history of investment in educational institutions serving under-represented communities as we did in 2020 with the HBCU Promise^SM, Dominion Energy Educational Equity Scholarship Program and earlier this year with the Building the Hispanic Talent Initiative^SM. Through these programs Dominion Energy hopes to build a pipeline for diverse talent to enter the energy industry.

At Utah Valley University, the funds will support the College of Science and the College of Engineering and Technology to offer tuition and faculty-mentored research scholarships to former UVU Latino Scientists of Tomorrow Summer Bridge participants—another Dominion supported program investing in Hispanic high school students.

"These scholarships will help retain students through degree completion by removing financial barriers and allowing students more time to study, learn, and participate in faculty-mentored research that provides valuable workforce skills," said Dr. Daniel Horns, Dean of the UVU College of Science. "The scholarship program is patterned after a successful project previously funded by the National Science Foundation. It increased participants' graduation to 87%."

Collectively among the seven schools, Hispanic students represent approximately 22% of the student population and 27% of those students are first-generation in their family to attend a higher education institution. 

Funds will be spent to help underwrite a range of programs, including scholarships, emergency aid, re-enrollment aid, stipends for faculty-mentored research, and cohort models with wraparound supports.

About 7 million customers in 15 states energize their homes and businesses with electricity or natural gas from Dominion Energy (NYSE: D). Through its Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation, as well as EnergyShare and other programs, Dominion Energy contributed nearly $50 million in 2021 to community causes. The Foundation supports nonprofit causes that meet basic human needs, protect the environment, promote education, and encourage community vitality. Please visit www.DominionEnergy.com to learn more.

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SOURCE Dominion Energy