Frank J. Quevedo, vice president of equal opportunity for Southern California Edison, and Milton A. Gordon, president of CSUF.

Edison and CSU Create $1.5 Million Scholarship Fund for Transfer Students

Edison matching grant will aid community college
students from educationally disadvantaged backgrounds

May 31, 2007

Frank J. Quevedo, vice president of equal opportunity for Southern California Edison, and Milton A. Gordon, president of CSUF, sign the formal agreement establishing a $1.5 million needs-based scholarship program for community college students transferring to one of five CSU institutions — Fullerton, San Bernardino, Dominguez Hills, Los Angeles and Channel Islands.

Alluding to recent warnings from the Public Policy Institute of California that the state’s scientific and technical workforce is falling behind the increasing global demand for highly skilled labor, Gordon explained that “We must increase the number of highly educated workers if California’s workforce is to remain competitive in the future.”

The participating CSU schools have agreed to match the $150,000 that Edison will provide annually over the next five years, resulting in a combined total of $1.5 million in scholarships for low-income students majoring in business, economics or one of the STEM disciplines — science, technology, engineering and math. With Cal State Fullerton serving as the fiscal agent for the program, the scholarship account will provide a payout of $300,000 annually ($150,000 from Edison International and $150,000 from CSU matching).

Beginning this fall, the new scholarships will be available for community college students transferring into one of the five participating CSU schools located in Southern California Edison’s service area.

Based in Rosemead, Calif., Edison International is the parent company of Southern California Edison and Edison Mission Group.

The California State University is the largest system of senior higher education in the country, with 23 campuses, 405,000 students and 44,000 faculty and staff. The CSU is renowned for the quality of its teaching and for the job-ready graduates it produces. Its mission is to provide high-quality, affordable education to meet the ever-changing needs of the people of California.