Feb. 11, 2021 9:10a
(WGTD)---SC Johnson is donating $5.5 million to fund scholarships aimed at offering a helping hand to students in the Racine area who want to pursue STEM-related careers.
The SC Johnson STEM Scholars Pathway is a partnership between the Racine-based company and Gateway Technical College, according to a news release. STEM is an acronym for science, technology, engineering and math.
Under the program, 18 students who live within the Racine Unified School District will be selected each year for the next ten years. The program is geared toward women, people of color and low-income students, all demographics which historically have been underrepresented in STEM industries.
Participants will be awarded $7,500 annually to secure a two-year degree at Gateway, then transfer credits to either Carthage College, Concordia University or the Milwaukee School of Engineering to obtain a four-year degree. The four-year institutions have pledged a matching annual amount of $7,500 for each student.
The money can be used for tuition, books, supplies and additional services, according to the release.
Academic programs that are part of the offer include electrical engineering, architecture/structural engineering and the IT fields of data analytics, cybersecurity, networking, web and software development. Workers with those skills are in high demand.
"Removing barriers to economic mobility for underserved people is key to the future strength of the United States," said Fisk Johnson, Chairman and CEO of SC Johnson.
Gateway Technical College President Bryan Albrecht said the scholarships will help and inspire students who otherwise might not have pursued STEM degrees and careers because of finances.
Since, 2001, SC Johnson has contributed more than $10.8 million to Gateway to support hands-on technical education and training for students.
"Education is the foundation for opportunity and economic prosperity," Albrecht said.
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