Liberty Power awards $20,000 in scholarships at USHCC convention

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Liberty Power, the nation’s largest independent retail electric supplier, announced the winners of its inaugural Liberty Power Bright Horizons Scholarship program. A result of a collaborative effort between Liberty Power and the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC) Foundation, the scholarship program awarded three college students a total of $20,000 at the USHCC National Convention held Sept. 15-17 in Chicago.

The program is geared toward eligible college students pursuing educations in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) with an interest in energy or environmental careers. The selection committee awarded one $10,000 grand prize and two runner-up prizes of $5,000 each. The recipients were honored by David Hernandez, co-founder and CEO of Liberty Power, and the USHCC during the convention’s closing gala Sept. 17.

The $10,000 scholarship was awarded to Tatiana Narvaez, who is earning her undergraduate degree in chemical engineering from Rice University.

“I am honored to be a recipient of Liberty Power’s Bright Horizons Scholarship mostly because I can be a role model to other Hispanic women pursuing careers in engineering,” Narvaez said. “This award not only gives me a sense of accomplishment for all my hard work, but it also helps me continue my goal in providing the future’s energy as well as protecting the environment, and for that I am thankful.”

The two $5,000 scholarships were awarded to Jonathan Taylor Fairey, an undergraduate student at the Georgia Institute of Technology majoring in industrial and systems engineering, and Lawrence Valverde, who is earning his doctorate degree in materials science at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

“I’ve always been intrigued by energy and how it is generated and transmitted and how it affects the environment,” Fairey said. “With the support of this scholarship, I look forward to continuing my education and pursuing a career in energy.”

“Receiving the Bright Horizons Scholarship carries great meaning for me,” Valverde said. “As a young Hispanic pursuing graduate studies in STEM fields, I hope to inspire and provide confidence to my younger peers to pursue careers in STEM as well.”

“I was very impressed with our first-ever group of Bright Horizons Scholarship winners; it has been a privilege spending time with them,” Hernandez said. “We are delighted to partner with the USHCC Foundation as we continue to support bright young minds pursuing their educational goals.”

Marc Rodriguez, USHCC Chairman of the Board, said: “Liberty Power’s devotion to our nation’s foremost duty – preparing our youth for the challenges and opportunities of the future – is commendable, and we are honored to partner with them in this endeavor.”

Headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Liberty Power is the first certified minority-owned supplier with a national footprint and the largest Hispanic-owned energy company in the United States according to Hispanic Business.