CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--To help local students attain their STEM education goals, while developing a workforce that is as diverse as the communities it serves, ComEd today announced it will again provide scholarships to northern Illinois students pursuing engineering degrees that fill the tuition gap not covered by financial aid. Eight new students make up the ComEd Scholars program’s newest class of recipients that attend the Illinois Institute of Technology (Illinois Tech) and the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC).

“ComEd lifts up the communities it serves and the first step in that process is helping young people further their education and pursue their dreams,” said Michelle Blaise, ComEd's senior vice president of technical services and an Illinois Tech mechanical engineering alumna. “This year in particular, students and their families face economic challenges. By supporting these students now, we hope they will gain the education necessary to develop the innovations that help local communities succeed in the future.”

Now in its second year, the ComEd Scholars program provides scholarships that fill education-related expenses not covered by financial aid, allowing students to pursue STEM degrees locally for the rest of their undergraduate careers. Additionally, ComEd Scholars are guaranteed an opportunity to interview for internships at ComEd and its parent company, Exelon, and are invited to participate in a mentorship program with ComEd engineers. ComEd has previously provided scholarships to four students through this program.

To qualify for the ComEd Scholars program, students are first recommended by their respective schools. Each school’s financial aid office then partners with academic advisors to identify high-performing students facing financial burdens to continue their education. Prospective recipients must then submit a personal statement, financial-aid application and school transcripts.

The 2020 ComEd Scholars are:

Daniel Arechiga – a second-year student from Lockport, Ill., pursuing a degree in electrical engineering at Illinois Tech.
Neil Young – a second-year student from Freeport, Ill., pursuing a degree in mechanical engineering at Illinois Tech.
Lake Crowell – a third-year student from Chicago’s Near West Side neighborhood, pursuing a degree in industrial engineering at UIC.
Victoria Dorris – a third-year student from Chicago’s Humboldt Park neighborhood, pursuing a degree in industrial engineering at UIC.
Sultan Muhammad – a second-year student from Dolton, Ill., pursuing a degree in mechanical engineering at UIC.
Anahi Soto – a second-year student from Maywood, Ill., pursuing a degree in electrical engineering at UIC.
Lauren-Charlise Walls – a second-year student from Chicago’s Avalon Park neighborhood, pursuing a degree in electrical engineering at UIC.
Caleb Williams – a second-year student from Chicago’s Auburn Gresham neighborhood, pursuing a degree in electrical engineering at UIC.

“ComEd’s unwavering leadership and support is a testament to their commitment to investing in the talented young minds that will shape the future of STEM,” said UIC CHANCE Director Kendal Parker.

“ComEd’s philanthropy provides funds that completely fill tuition gaps not covered by financial aid, plus a pathway to mentorship and internship opportunities,” said Ernie Iseminger, vice president for Advancement at Illinois Tech. “Our ComEd scholars are pursuing degrees in Engineering, have mentored for Illinois Tech’s Exelon Summer Institute for incoming students, and participate in student groups such as the Illinois Tech chapter of the Society of Automotive Engineers.”

“We thank ComEd for once again making an investment in our students at Illinois Tech,” said Illinois Tech President Alan W. Cramb. “Providing our students with access to a world-class STEM education is central to Illinois Tech’s mission and these scholarships will allow them to focus on their studies and post-graduate careers on building the technological innovations of tomorrow.”

ComEd is a unit of Chicago-based Exelon Corporation (NASDAQ: EXC), a Fortune 100 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.

Illinois Institute of Technology, also known as Illinois Tech, is a private, technology-focused research university. Illinois Tech is the only university of its kind in Chicago, and its Chicago location offers students access to the world-class resources of a great global metropolis. It offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in engineering, computing, architecture, business, design, science and human sciences, and law. One of 23 institutions that comprise the Association of Independent Technological Universities, Illinois Tech provides an exceptional education centered on active learning, and its graduates lead the state and much of the nation in economic prosperity. Illinois Tech uniquely prepares students to succeed in professions that require technological sophistication, an innovative mindset, and an entrepreneurial spirit. Visit iit.edu.

Located in the heart of one of the world’s great cities, the University of Illinois Chicago is the city’s largest university and only public research institution. Its 16 academic colleges serve more than 33,000 undergraduate, graduate and professional students. UIC is recognized as one of the most ethnically rich and culturally diverse campuses in the nation, a leader in providing access to underrepresented students. With one of the largest colleges of medicine in the nation, and colleges of dentistry, pharmacy, public health, nursing, social work, and applied health sciences, UIC is the state’s principal educator of health professionals and a major healthcare provider to underserved communities. UIC students become professionals in fields ranging from law and business to engineering to education, liberal arts and sciences, urban planning, and social work, as well as architecture, design and the arts. UIC is an integral part of the educational, technological, and cultural fabric of one of the world’s greatest cities. Visit uic.edu.