AABE Virginia Chapter Awards Scholarships to Four Virginia Students

August 24, 2016

The Virginia Chapter of the American Association of Blacks in Energy, or AABE, has awarded four outstanding high school graduates with college scholarships. Thanks to grants provided by the Dominion Foundation and Columbia Gas of Virginia, the Virginia chapter awarded $3,000 to this year’s first-place winner, $2,000 to the second-place winner and $1,000 to the third- and fourth-place winners. The scholarships will help the students further their education in STEM disciplines that focus on science, technology, engineering or math.

“This year’s applicants were all amazing, with the winners only separated by a few points,” said Teresa Vaughan, Student Relations Chairperson. “We were thrilled to learn that our first- and second-place winners went on to win scholarships at both the regional and national levels of the AABE.”

The Virginia chapter is proud to announce our 2016 winners and their accomplishments: 

  • Bamlak Gessessew, a graduate of Thomas A. Edison High School in Alexandria, is first-place winner of the Virginia Chapter of AABE and the AABE National awards totaling $23,000. Gessessew will attend the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the fall to study Computer Science.
  • Elizabeth Childs, a graduate of Kings Fork High School in Suffolk, is second-place winner of the Virginia Chapter of AABE and the AABE Regional awards totaling $5,000. Childs will attend the University of Maryland College Park in the fall to study Engineering.
  • Morgan Thweatt, a graduate of Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School in Richmond, is third-place winner of the Virginia Chapter of AABE award for $1,000. Thweatt will attend Pennsylvania State University in the fall to study Mathematics.
  • Ahmed Woodson, a graduate of Thomas Jefferson High School in Richmond, is fourth-place winner of the Virginia Chapter of AABE award for $1,000. Woodson will attend the University of Maryland College Park in the fall to study Engineering.

The scholars are chosen based on their academics, a written essay and their plans to major in business, one of the physical sciences, technology, engineering or mathematics in preparation for careers in the energy sector. The Virginia Chapter of AABE received over 50 applications for the four scholarships and the competition was even tighter at the regional and national levels.

The AABE hosted a reception to celebrate and honor the students at Dominion’s Tredegar Auditorium in Richmond. The Dominion Foundation is the charitable arm for Dominion Resources, parent company of Dominion Virginia Power.  To find out more about Columbia Gas of Virginia, please visit their website  www.columbiagasva.com. For additional information about the Virginia Chapter of AABE’s scholarship, please send inquiries to Virginia@AABE.org.

Contact:
Teresa Vaughan
virginia@aabe.org

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