ATLANTA, Jan. 28, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Southern
Company and its subsidiaries today announced a $50 million multi-year initiative to provide
students attending historically black colleges and universities
(HBCUs) with scholarships, internships, leadership development, and
access to technology and innovation to support career readiness.
This initiative will provide support for students attending select
HBCUs within the Southern Company system's service footprint in
Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, Tennessee, Virginia, and North
Carolina.
"This investment is a statement of our belief that America needs
these HBCU graduates in order to ensure a thriving economy for
generations to come," said Thomas A.
Fanning, chairman, president and CEO, Southern Company. "We
invite others to partner with us to create the scholarships,
internships, and opportunities to train the leaders of
tomorrow."
Southern Company acknowledges that building the talent pipeline
at HBCUs cannot be done by one corporation –additional partners are
needed to join in support with matching gifts.
HBCUs have a longstanding tradition of graduating compelling and
impactful leaders. Founded before the Civil Rights Act of 1964,
HBCUs were created, primarily, to provide African Americans with
high quality education and skills development when laws prohibited
them from being admitted at predominantly white colleges and
universities. As a result, HBCUs have become incubators for
innovative and bold leadership. The legacy of HBCUs includes
pioneering leaders like Rev. Dr. Martin
Luther King, Jr. (Morehouse); Alice
Walker (Spelman College);
George Washington Carver
(Tuskegee Institute); and many others.
With an influx of support, HBCUs can grow this legacy by ensuring
students have the resources and support not only to graduate, but
to excel.
"Southern Company's initiative is a tribute to the legacy of
HBCUs as difference-makers for the American workforce. With this
investment, we aim to foster a generation of graduates ready to
disrupt industries and offer solutions to address the needs of our
changing world," said Chris Womack,
executive vice president and president of external affairs,
Southern Company.
Southern Company's $50 million
HBCU initiative is envisioned as a leadership development platform.
It seeks to provide funding for programs that address four
priorities necessary for producing HBCU graduates who are ready to
become innovative leaders:
- Provide critical scholarship dollars to ensure talented
students can attend and complete college;
- Equip HBCU students with access to new technology and train
them to use the technology to solve real-world problems;
- Expose HBCU students to curricula, mentoring, and pathways to
funding that increase their access to entrepreneurship; and
- Develop a corporate pipeline for leadership and career
development, beginning with internships provided by Southern
Company and corporate partners, to create avenues to
prosperity.
Further details on this competitive program will be announced by
May 1, 2020. The first round of
funding will be awarded in time for the academic year beginning in
fall 2021.
About Southern Company
Southern Company (NYSE: SO) is a leading energy company serving 9
million customers through its subsidiaries. The company provides
clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy through electric
operating companies in three states, natural gas distribution
companies in four states, a competitive generation company serving
wholesale customers across America, a leading distributed energy
infrastructure company, a fiber optics network and
telecommunications services. Southern Company brands are known for
excellent customer service, high reliability and affordable prices
below the national average. For more than a century, we have been
building the future of energy and developing the full portfolio of
energy resources, including carbon-free nuclear, advanced carbon
capture technologies, natural gas, renewables, energy efficiency
and storage technology. Through an industry-leading commitment to
innovation and a low-carbon future, Southern Company and its
subsidiaries develop the customized energy solutions our customers
and communities require to drive growth and prosperity. Our
uncompromising values ensure we put the needs of those we serve at
the center of everything we do and govern our business to the
benefit of our world. Our corporate culture and hiring practices
have been recognized nationally by the U.S. Department of Defense,
G.I. Jobs magazine, DiversityInc, Black Enterprise, Fortune's
"World's Most Admired Companies" list, Forbes and the Women's
Choice Award. To learn more, visit www.southerncompany.com.
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SOURCE Southern Company