In a moving virtual ceremony, scholarship recipients along with their loved ones, school administrators and NYPA employees were inspired by a keynote message from Aaron Barnette, deputy executive director, Office of Safety and Public Partnerships,
New York City Public Schools.
A warm welcome into the NYPA family, words of encouragement for their continued academic success and advice on how to navigate their college experiences were shared by Acting President and CEO Justin E. Driscoll (see video here) and Lisa Wansley Payne, senior vice president, Environmental Justice, Community Affairs and Legislative Relations.
"The Power Authority's Future Energy Leaders college scholarship program helps increase the pipeline of electric utility workers and provide opportunities for hard-working youth from our environmental justice communities who want to pursue rewarding careers," Driscoll said. "NYPA has a unique role in helping to realize New York's clean energy transformation and we will need the next generation of inspired, committed New Yorkers to help us reach our climate action goals."
To be eligible for a scholarship, applicants must meet basic requirements which include under-represented high school seniors enrolled in a four-year college the semester immediately following graduation (with additional consideration given to candidates who are Black, Indigenous or persons of color); residing in New York State; and in good academic standing and expressing an interest in working toward traditional and non-traditional careers related to the energy industry. This program is managed by the Environmental Justice (EJ) team.
"NYPA is pleased to present this year's Future Energy Leaders Scholarships to deserving students from communities that have historically been underrepresented in the power industry," said Kaela Mainsah, vice president, Environmental Justice. "Each of these winners has worked hard and is deserving of support that will help them achieve their full potential and secure a position that will provide personal satisfaction and allow them to contribute to a thriving and resilient New York State.
This year, NYPA partnered with four nationally recognized professional, academic and community organizations to manage scholarship program. The 2023 awardees are as follows:
Eagle Academy Foundation
- Sayyed Ayube, Eagle Academy for Young Men at Oceanhill to study aerospace/aviation engineering at SUNY Farmingdale
- Dwight Clark, Eagle Academy for Young Men at Oceanhill to study business administration at Hampton University
National Society of Black Engineers
- Aquila Ali, Mount St. Mary Academy to study neuroscience and computer science at New York University
- Tombari Augustine, Tapestry Charter School to study biomedical sciences at University at Buffalo
United Neighborhood Houses
- Adam Esmail, Sunset Park High School to study mechanical engineering at SUNY Buffalo State University
- Analicia Jackson, Maxine Greene High School of Imaginative Inquiry to study engineering and computer science at Fordham University
- Nomble Wright, The High School of Fashion Industries to study economics at Cornell University
New York Urban League
- Nathan Atherly, Monsignor McClancy Memorial High School to study biology at Columbia University
- Fatamata Barrie, Harlem Children's Zone Promise Academy II to study biology at Hunter College
- Azalia James, High School for Health Professionals and Human Services to study biology/global studies at New York University
Meet the scholarship recipients here.
For more information about this program, please contact Julieanne Sullivan, Environmental Justice senior project manager, at julieanne.sullivan@NYPA.gov.
Contact: Lynne Smith, Lynne.Smith@nypa.gov
