Applications Open for Expanded Edison Scholars Program

By Diane Castro ENERGIZED by Edison Writer

“I've always been fascinated with chemistry. The idea of one day becoming a scientist who changes the world for the better is enamoring,” said 2022 Edison Scholar Kayla Pham, a graduate of Oak Hills High School in Hesperia now attending Columbia University.

“The path to these goals is not straightforward and being a first-generation college student from a single-parent household has presented many challenges,” Pham said. “I have a great number of dreams, but for quite some time, I didn't have any way to fund my education to one day reach these dreams.”

Pham is among 30 high school seniors in Southern California Edison's service area previously selected as 2022 Edison Scholars. She received a $40,000 scholarship, paid over four years, to further her academic pursuits at Columbia, where she started this fall as a chemistry major.

The next group of high school seniors with big dreams of becoming difference-makers are invited to apply for the class of 2023 Edison scholarships. This year, Edison International has increased the scholarship award amount from $40,000 to $50,000 and opened the scholarship to students majoring in cybersecurity and data analytics. In addition, 2023 Edison Scholars are now eligible for a paid summer internship with SCE upon completing the first year of school. The deadline to apply is Dec. 9.

Jonathan Morales, a 2022 Edison Scholar and Fullerton Union High School graduate, is now a freshman at Stanford University studying biology. He encourages potential applicants to “take this challenge and use it for greatness. No dream is too big, and no challenge is too great. Just go for it.”

Morales went the extra mile and produced his own creative video to share his experience and encourage potential applicants to apply.

Applicants must live in SCE's service area and plan to be full-time undergraduate students pursuing a degree related to science, technology, engineering or math. Eligible students also must be high school seniors, have at least a cumulative 3.0 GPA and demonstrate financial need. SCE encourages students from underserved communities, underrepresented groups and first-generation college students to apply for the $1.5 million scholarship program.

2022 Edison Scholar Monica Pal attended San Joaquin High School in Irvine and is currently studying data science at UC Riverside. She encourages aspiring scholars to do their research, “get involved, learn more about Edison before applying and take that extra step to reach out to people who have gone through the same process to help understand the criteria needed for success.”Fernando Matias, a 2022 Edison Scholar, graduated from Hawthorne High School and is now a freshman at the California Institute of Technology with a double major in mechanical engineering and computer science. “My advice to potential scholars is just to apply and write about what you are passionate about,” Matias said. “Applying for this scholarship was one of the best decisions I ever made. The financial impact has been incredible, not to mention the connections I have made at Edison and with the other scholars.”

SCE’s parent company Edison International, one of Southern California's largest corporate philanthropic contributors, has awarded more than $13.5 million in scholarships to 730 students through the Edison Scholars Program since 2006. The program is funded entirely by Edison International shareholders. SCE customers' utility bill payments do not fund company donations.

Students can determine if they are eligible and apply at edisonscholars.com.
For more information plus profiles of previous Edison scholarship winners, visit the ENERGIZED Spotlight page.