Scholarships awarded to recent Colusa County graduates

Casey Medina, of Colusa, and Alexei Mikhael Josue, of Arbuckle, are among 40 students across the state that will be awarded a scholarship as part of Pacific Gas and Electric Company’s 2021 Better Together STEM Scholarship Program.

According to a release issued by the utility, scholarships totalling $250,000 have been funded by the PG&E Corporation Foundation, also known as The Foundation.

“This year, The Foundation is funding 20 scholarships of $10,000 each and 20 scholarships of $2,500 each,” the release said. “The scholarships are given to students pursuing a degree in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) disciplines. STEM education fosters ingenuity, creativity, and experimentation, leading to new ideas, innovations, and technological advancements that can have global impact.”

Medina is a freshman at the University of California, Davis, and a graduate of Colusa High School. She was awarded a $10,000 scholarship.

Josue, a freshman at UC Davis and a graduate of Pierce High School, was awarded a $2,500 scholarship.

Scholarships are awarded based on academic achievement, demonstrated participation and leadership in school and community activities, and financial need, according to the release.

“All of us at PG&E and The Foundation are focused on California’s future and supporting inclusive programs that assist the next generation of creators and innovators in Stem-based fields,” said Robert Kenney, PG&E senior vice president, Regulatory and External Affairs, and chair of The PG&E Corporation Foundation board of directors.

Scholarship recipients must plan to enroll in full-time undergraduate study for the entire 2021-22 academic year, according to the release, and be seeking their first undergraduate degree at an accredited four-year institution in California.

Since 2021, the Better Together STEM Scholarship Program has awarded more than $6.5 million to accomplished students based on a combined demonstration of community leadership, personal triumph, financial need and academic achievement and all contributions come from charitable donations from shareholders of the utility company.