Walnut Creek Students Can Apply For PG&E STEM Scholarship

WALNUT CREEK, CA—Students from Walnut Creek and throughout the Bay Area who are pursuing Science, Technology, Engineering and Math—STEM—disciplines are invited to apply for PG&E Corporation Foundation's annual Better Together STEM Scholarship Program.

For eligible students, the PG&E Foundation will provide a total of $350,000 this year for 60 scholarship awards in the amounts of $10,000, $5,000 and $2,500.

Better Together STEM Scholarships are designed to allow the next generation of Californians to learn and succeed in higher education and support students who have made an impact in their community or who have overcome personal challenges, PG&E officials said.

"We applaud all future engineers, scientists and innovators," said Jake Zigelman, PG&E vice president for the Bay Area region. "These essential professions help power the state's clean energy progress, ultimately benefitting all Californians. The PG&E Corporation Foundation is proud to play a part in helping these local students achieve their educational goals."

Over the years, PG&E said, the scholarship program has evolved to help more students and their families lessen the financial burden of attending college.

In 2023, the PG&E Foundation added a new $5,000 scholarship that expanded the program to 20 additional students—up from 40 to 60 student recipients. In 2022, responding to a trend in applications from students admitted to Historically Black Colleges and Universities, PG&E expanded eligibility to students planning to attend HBCUs anywhere in the United States, in addition to California colleges and universities.

Since 2012, PG&E said, the Better Together STEM Scholarship Program has awarded $7.45 million to accomplished students based on a combined demonstration of community leadership, personal triumph, financial need and academic achievement.

Deadline, Criteria

Interested applicants can learn more and apply here. The deadline to apply is March 14. Scholarships will be awarded by August.

Scholarships will be awarded based on academic achievement, demonstrated participation and leadership in school and community activities, and financial need. Students must pursue qualifying degrees in STEM disciplines include engineering, computer science/information systems, cybersecurity, environmental sciences, math and physics.

Applications are open to:

• High school seniors or graduates
• Students who have received a GED certification
• Current undergraduate students
• Non-traditional students or military veterans returning to school or pursuing their first undergraduate degree
• Applicants must live or be a dependent of a resident in PG&E’s service area in Northern and Central California; plan to enroll in full-time undergraduate study for the entire 2025-2026 academic year; and be seeking their first undergraduate degree at an accredited four-year institution in California or HBCU.

PG&E Employee Resource Group Scholarships

In addition to the Better Together STEM Scholarship Program, PG&E’s 11 employee resource groups and two engineering networking groups award scholarships to help offset the cost of higher education. The funds are raised entirely through coworker donations, coworker fundraising events and the company’s coworker giving program. Since 1989, more than $6 million in ERG/ENG scholarships have been received by thousands of recipients. Apply here.

The PG&E Corporation Foundation is an independent nonprofit organization, separate from PG&E and sponsored by PG&E Corporation.