14 Scholarships will support first-generation Latino students pursuing careers in STEM

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 19, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas) and The East Los Angeles Community Union (TELACU) Education Foundation today announced that $50,000 in scholarships have been awarded to 14 first-generation Latino students pursuing degrees in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). Since 1999, and over the last three decades, SoCalGas and TELACU have partnered to address social inequality, assist deserving students navigate postsecondary education and their subsequent careers through the TELACU Education Foundation's programmatic support.

"One of our very first corporate partners, SoCalGas has generously invested in the empowerment of our communities' greatest, but most vulnerable, resource—our youth," said Dr. David C. Lizárraga, chairman and founder of the TELACU Education Foundation. "The TELACU Education Foundation is tremendously grateful to SoCalGas for investing in the communities it serves with excellence, and for its commitment to developing a workforce reflective of these communities."

The TELACU Education Foundation serves first-generation students who live in some of the most underserved communities in the greater Los Angeles region and surrounding counties. TELACU has helped these students pursue higher education with over 99% of its college students graduating, often becoming the first in their family to earn a degree.

"SoCalGas' partnership with TELACU highlights our commitment to create more equitable communities," said Andy Carrasco, SoCalGas vice president of communications, local government and community affairs. "Access to higher education is a life changing opportunity for students, their families and often, their community, while also helping grow the pipeline for more qualified STEM professionals, which are so desperately needed in our region." 

"TELACU's College Readiness Program and College Success Program have given me the opportunity to pursue higher education. I am grateful for the resources made available to me through the partnership between SoCalGas and TELACU, as they have prepared me for the next steps in my career," said Geovanny Huerta, who was recently selected as a SoCalGas-TELACU Scholar. "Without these programs and support, I would not have been able to land a summer internship."

Since 1999, SoCalGas has supported TELACU with over $660,000. The 2022-23 SoCalGas-TELACU Scholars are:

• Cecilia Aldape (Civil Engineering, CSU Los Angeles)
• Jacqueline Alvarado (Business Administration, UC Riverside)
• Oswaldo Gamez (Computer Science, CSU Northridge)
• Antonio Garcia (Mechanical Engineering, Loyola Marymount University)
• Yuridia Ginez (Computer Science, CSU Los Angeles)
• Gerson Gonzalez (Computer Science, Biola University)
• Disleiry Hernandez Gutierrez (Mechanical Engineering, UC Los Angeles)
• Emanuel Herrera Pineda (Mechanical Engineering, University of Southern California)
• Geovany Huerta (Computer Science, CSU Los Angeles)
• Jose Lopez (Computer Science, University of La Verne)
• Yatziri Lopez Mendez (Pre-Accountancy, CSU Northridge)
• Andy Machorro (Mechanical Engineering, CSU Los Angeles)
• Antonio Sanchez (Civil Engineering, Loyola Marymount University)
• Joselyn Velasquez (Civil Engineering, Cal Poly Pomona)

SoCalGas' partnership with TELACU is part of the company's ASPIRE 2045 sustainability goals, which includes a goal to invest up to $50 million to drive positive change in diverse and underserved communities over the next five years. In addition to supporting TELACU scholars, in 2021, SoCalGas contributed $9.6 million in total community investment, with $4.8 million to support health and human services, and $2.3 million to support educational causes.

About SoCalGas 
Headquartered in Los Angeles, SoCalGas® is the largest gas distribution utility in the United States. SoCalGas delivers affordable, reliable, and increasingly renewable gas service to 21.8 million consumers across 24,000 square miles of Central and Southern California. Gas delivered through the company's pipelines will continue to play a key role in California's clean energy transition—providing electric grid reliability and supporting wind and solar energy deployment.

SoCalGas' mission is to build the cleanest, safest and most innovative energy company in America. In support of that mission, SoCalGas aspires to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions in its operations and delivery of energy by 2045 and to replace 20 percent of its traditional natural gas supply to core customers with renewable natural gas (RNG) by 2030. Renewable natural gas is made from waste created by dairy farms, landfills, and wastewater treatment plants. SoCalGas is also committed to investing in its gas delivery infrastructure while keeping bills affordable for customers. SoCalGas is a subsidiary of Sempra (NYSE: SRE), an energy services holding company based in San Diego.

For more information visit socalgas.com/newsroom or connect with SoCalGas on Twitter (@SoCalGas), Instagram (@SoCalGas) and Facebook. 

About the TELACU Education Foundation
For nearly 40 years, the TELACU Education Foundation has provided first-generation Latinx high school through graduate school students, including veterans, a unique combination of financial resources, highly effective programming, and an unwavering support system that empowers its annual cohort of nearly 2,000 students to achieve amazing success. Historically, 98% of its high schoolers graduate and 99% of its college students earn at minimum a Bachelors' degree. More than 75% of its students earn a STEM- or Business-related degree—more than 60% are earned by Latinas—and they launch successful careers, particularly in high-growth, high-impact sectors!

SOURCE Southern California Gas Company