LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Entergy Arkansas recently launched a new initiative – The Power of Prosperity – a partnership to support Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) while simultaneously providing students with additional educational opportunities to empower them to build generational wealth. This 10-year, $20 million initiative is part of Entergy’s commitment to HBCUs across the company’s service area in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas.
The Power of Prosperity will provide academic scholarships, facility grants and endowments, workforce development programming, internship experiences, access to resources and financial aid, seeded investment accounts and generational wealth building for HBCU students.
The first program to be announced from Entergy’s long-term commitment is the company’s Power Your Future Scholarship which is designed to support current college undergraduates pursuing eligible technology majors who plan to further their education at designated HBCUs. Selected students will receive a $5,000 award, with up to 20 scholarships available from Entergy shareholder funds.
In Arkansas, current college undergraduate sophomores, juniors or seniors in an eligible technology major at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff or Philander Smith College can apply. Additionally, Arkansans pursuing four-year technology degrees at any qualifying HBCU in Entergy’s service area in Louisiana, Mississippi or Texas are eligible to apply.
Administered by Scholarship America®, the nation’s largest manager of scholarships and educational support programs, the Power Your Future Scholarship is part of Entergy’s broader initiative.
“As the oldest HBCU in Arkansas, UAPB is thrilled to continue and broaden our partnership with Entergy through its Power of Prosperity program and the Power Your Future Scholarship program,” said Dr. Andrea Stewart, the interim chancellor at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff. “We commend Entergy’s direction, vision, and long-term commitment to HBCUs and the communities we both serve, and we look forward to the bright futures these opportunities will bring to our students.”
“Entergy Arkansas is proud to support the Power Your Future Scholarships as part of our ongoing commitment to the students and institutions shaping Arkansas’s future,” said Ventrell Thompson, vice president of customer service. “By investing in HBCUs and the talented individuals they serve, we’re hoping to introduce more students to opportunities in the energy sector, strengthen our communities, and continue building an inclusive and innovative energy workforce in Arkansas.”
Over the course of the next decade, Entergy’s strategic partnerships will equip students with tools and knowledge to build a path to multigenerational wealth for a brighter tomorrow. This includes:
- An annual competitive grant program to fund facility improvements, research endeavors, and endowments at HBCUs in the Entergy service area, aimed at addressing inequalities and enhancing the long-term viability of these institutions.
- Offering pathways to employment at Entergy for top-performing HBCU students through workforce development initiatives, including 10 annual internships, targeted college recruitment events, strategic partnerships with university administration and faculty, and more.
- Access to Single Stop, a national nonprofit that provides support in areas such as finance, food, education, healthcare, childcare, tax help, utility payments and more through their “one-stop shop” program.
- Access to financial literacy education and coaching through Entergy’s partnership with Stackwell Capital, a digital investment platform designed to help close the racial wealth gap by empowering more people in the Black community to use the power of the stock market to grow their wealth.
For more information about the Power Your Future Scholarship, including application details and eligibility requirements, visit here. Interested students must submit their applications by the April 9th deadline.
