IRSC Awarded $800,000 from FPL In Support of Diversity in STEM

IRSC Awarded $800,000 from FPL In Support of Diversity in STEM

December 17, 2021 Suzanne Seldes

New Scholarship to Remove Financial Barriers for Black Students Seeking Associate Degrees

FORT PIERCE, FL—Indian River State College (IRSC) has received an $800,000 award from Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) to support diversity in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) careers. The funds will establish the Florida Power & Light Company Endowed Scholarship for Black students seeking Associate in Science degrees at IRSC in the areas of Electrical Power Technology (ICE specialization), Computer Information Technology and Electronics Engineering Technology (such as robotics-manufacturing and laser-photonics specializations).

FPL will fund the endowed scholarship over four years; $200,000 is available for the 2022–2023 academic year. Scholarship funds may cover tuition, books, and supplies or be used to enroll in courses that provide additional certifications such as OSHA or CPR while attending IRSC. New and returning IRSC students may begin applying for the awards now by logging into their MyPioneerPortal account.

“IRSC’s longstanding partnership with Florida Power & Light centers around making a positive impact on people’s lives,” says Michael Hageloh, IRSC interim vice president for institutional advancement. “Over the years, we have collaborated on programs that build essential workforce skills and put students into great paying jobs. FPL’s most recent commitment moves us closer to achieving another mutual goal—addressing racial opportunity gaps in STEM fields—and for that, we are immensely grateful.”

According to an April 2021 report from the Pew Research Center, Black workers comprise 11% of all employed adults but account for only 9% of adults employed in STEM occupations. Their share is lower in some STEM job clusters, including just 5% in engineering jobs. Further, Pew states that there has been no change in the share of Black workers in STEM jobs since 2016.

FPL’s commitment to IRSC will help remove financial barriers that may prevent Black students from entering these fields.

“We are focused on breaking down barriers to opportunity by investing in STEM programs that empower our next generation of leaders. We are proud to energize IRSC’s dynamic STEM initiatives and provide support for students with this grant,” said Pamela Rauch, vice president of external affairs and economic development for FPL. “The Florida Power & Light Company Endowed Scholarship for Black students will help inspire these innovators to obtain an Associate of Science degree—a strong foundation for landing a high-paying job in the technology field.”

The Florida Power & Light Company Endowed Scholarship is the most recent example of IRSC’s steadfastness to finding ways to remove barriers and support student diversity in STEM subjects. In September, the College announced a $4.9 million Hispanic-Serving Institutions STEM and Articulation Program grant from the U.S. Department of Education to increase the number of Hispanic and low-income students in STEM disciplines. These opportunities, combined with integrated academic and student support strategies and activities that promote retention and graduation, will help the IRSC increase the number of undergraduates from underrepresented groups who successfully complete STEM studies.

To learn more about Florida Power & Light Company Endowed Scholarship and other student funding opportunities available through the IRSC Foundation, visit irscfoundation.org.

About Florida Power & Light Company
Florida Power & Light Company is the largest energy company in the U.S. as measured by retail electricity produced and sold. The company serves more than 5.6 million customer accounts supporting more than 11 million residents across Florida with clean, reliable and affordable electricity. FPL operates one of the cleanest power generation fleets in the U.S and in 2021 won the ReliabilityOne® National Reliability Excellence Award for the sixth time in the last seven years. The company was recognized in 2020 as one of the most trusted U.S. electric utilities by Escalent for the seventh consecutive year. FPL is a subsidiary of Juno Beach, Florida-based NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NEE), a clean energy company widely recognized for its efforts in sustainability, ethics and diversity, and has been ranked No. 1 in the electric and gas utilities industry in Fortune’s 2020 list of “World’s Most Admired Companies.” NextEra Energy is also the parent company of NextEra Energy Resources, LLC, which, together with its affiliated entities, is the world’s largest generator of renewable energy from the wind and sun and a world leader in battery storage. For more information about NextEra Energy companies, visit these websites: www.NextEraEnergy.com, www.FPL.com, www.GulfPower.com, www.NextEraEnergyResources.com.

About Indian River State College
A leader in education and innovation, Indian River State College transforms lives by offering high-quality, affordable, and accessible education to the residents of Indian River, Martin, Okeechobee, and St. Lucie counties through traditional and online delivery. The College—ranked second-most-affordable in the nation—serves 26,000 students annually and offers more than 100 programs leading to Bachelor's degrees, Associate degrees, technical certificates, and applied technology diplomas. It is a recipient of the Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, the nation's signature recognition of high achievement and performance among America's community colleges. Learn more at www.irsc.edu.