Illinois Tech, UIC students to receive scholarships, mentorships and internship opportunities

To support equity in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education, ComEd has named four local students who are pursuing STEM-related degrees at Illinois Institute of Technology (Illinois Tech) and University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) as its 2022 ComEd Scholars.

Now in its fourth year, the ComEd Scholars program provides scholarships that fill the funding gap for students pursuing STEM-related degrees at local universities. In addition to the scholarship funding, ComEd Scholars receive mentorship from ComEd engineers and executives and the opportunity to apply for internships at ComEd and its parent company, Exelon. Since the program was launched in 2019, 26 students have been awarded support.

“At ComEd, we are committed to diversifying the STEM workforce and supporting talented students from across our communities,” said Gil Quiniones, CEO of ComEd. “The ComEd Scholars program seeks to give students knowledge, confidence, and resources to not only achieve their education and career aspirations, but to also have a meaningful impact in their communities for years to come.”

To qualify for the program, students must be recommended by their school. UIC’s financial aid office, in partnership with academic advisors and ComEd, then identify high-performing students facing significant financial burdens. Invited UIC applicants then submit a personal statement, financial-aid application and school transcripts. Illinois Tech’s financial aid office identifies students who meet the ComEd scholarship criteria to be considered for this program. These scholarships provide selected students with the necessary financial assistance to cover education-related costs that exceed financial aid.

“This partnership with ComEd allows our Illinois Tech scholars to lean and grow into the tech leaders of the future,” said Raj Echambadi, president of Illinois Institute of Technology. “This commitment to expand educational opportunities for all students impacts the advancement of technology for all.”

The ComEd Scholars program is one of several ComEd initiatives that build and empower a local, diverse workforce. In 2022, ComEd’s workforce programs had a direct impact for over 1,700 participants.

“ComEd's commitment to creating the diverse STEM workforce of the future exemplifies what it means to create equitable pathways for the next generation of leaders and change makers," added Dr. Javier Reyes, Interim Chancellor of the University of Illinois Chicago. “We are thankful for this partnership and investment in UIC students.”

The 2022 ComEd Scholars are:

• Aaron Tillery – a second-year student from Chicago's Washington Heights neighborhood, pursuing a degree in computer engineering at UIC.
• Adrian Rodriguez – a second-year student from Chicago's Garfield Ridge neighborhood, pursuing a degree in civil engineering at Illinois Tech.
• Angelica Velazquez – a second-year student from Chicago's Logan Square neighborhood, pursuing a degree in mechanical engineering at Illinois Tech.
• Chanel Hamilton – a first-year student from the Chicago’s South Suburban Community of Country Club Hills, pursuing a degree in engineering at UIC.

ComEd is a unit of Chicago-based Exelon Corporation (NASDAQ: EXC), a Fortune 200 energy company with approximately 10 million electricity and natural gas customers – the largest number of customers in the U.S. ComEd powers the lives of more than 4 million customers across northern Illinois, or 70 percent of the state’s population. For more information visit ComEd.com, and connect with the company on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

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