As an industry leader, Entergy says it has an opportunity to help develop future generations of the energy workforce by strengthening awareness and promoting the advantages of careers in the energy and utility fields.
That is why the company is proud to continue its longstanding support of Historically Black Colleges and Universities with a 10-year, $20 million commitment to “elevate and empower the institutions and their students through academic scholarships, facility grants and endowments, workforce development programming, internship experiences, access to resources and financial aid and generational wealth building,” a news release from Entergy stated.
“We are sharpening our focus, elevating different perspectives, and ensuring that everyone with the talent and desire has an opportunity to succeed,” the release stated. “We have an established history of working with educational institutions to develop a workforce that not only supports our own needs, but also bolsters the continued economic development of the Gulf South region. We live here. We work here. We raise our families here. What matters to the communities we serve and to our customers, matters to us.”
Entergy says it wants to broaden the path to employment for HBCU students by ensuring they have access to resources and experiences, and also by closely collaborating with their educators and administrators to ensure they are equipped with the relevant skills needed for success.
Through this $20 million commitment, the company hopes to see its partner schools increase student retention, improve graduation rates and expand post-graduation job placement opportunities.
“For the students, their families and their communities, we look forward to outcomes like increased access to capital, improved household economic stability and better lifetime earning potential,” the release said.
Since 2018, Entergy has invested more than $7.4 million in HBCUs in our service area for facility and curriculum improvements, technology upgrades, mentoring programs, research study collaborations, internship/co-op opportunities and more.
For example, at Southern University, the Entergy Scholars Program provides engineering majors with hands-on skills that prepare them for early career positions. And to close the gap between academia and industry, the Entergy Faculty Extern Program invites STEM educators from regional HBCUs to participate in facility tours and job shadowing, which helps them better prepare their students for careers in energy.
In addition, Entergy launched The Power of Prosperity program in 2023, which consists of two components. The first one is removing barriers to student success through a partnership with Single Stop, a national nonprofit that connects students and their families to resources and funding from local, state and federal sources. The second component of the program consists of a partnership with Stackwell Capital through which the company will equip students with the knowledge, tools and resources – including seeded investment accounts – to build generational wealth, which is a foundation for economic stability, access to opportunity and long-term prosperity. By investing more than $700,000 in the pilot program, Entergy’s shareholders are helping 1,200 HBCU freshmen in New Orleans unlock new opportunities.
With the new $20 million commitment, the company is able to expand The Power of Prosperity Program throughout the service area so that HBCU students across Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas and Arkansas will have new doors opened to them through our partnerships with Stackwell Capital and Single Stop.
“An educated, skilled and diverse workforce is critical to Entergy’s long-term success, as well as the health and viability of the communities we serve. Empowering the HBCUs in our region is one of the best ways we can contribute to the quality of life in our communities,” the release said.
