AT&T Donation supports $1,000 scholarships for 13 Riverland students pursuing STEM education

Riverland Community College Foundation received a $13,000 AT&T donation today to support its scholarship programs during a check presentation on the Austin campus.

The AT&T donation will support 13 scholarships at $1,000 each for Riverland Community College freshmen who are pursuing a STEM-based (science, technology, engineering and math) career pathway. The scholarships will support freshmen who are attending Riverland to pursue a diploma or degree in a STEM career, and are in need of scholarship support.

“We are very excited to continue this partnership with AT&T and provide scholarships to students who need financial support pursuing or exploring careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM),” said Dr. Adenuga Atewologun, president of Riverland Community College. “We are in an era of a knowledge economy that continues to generate exciting career opportunities in STEM. The earlier students acquire strong math skills in their education continuum, the easier it is for them to choose STEM careers. These scholarships will help many students start earlier, nearer to home, and go farther in their quest for success.”

With baby boomer retirements in full swing, local businesses are faced with a skills gap that requires workers to obtain greater education and training to match the requirements of emerging jobs, especially in STEM-related careers. More and more, community colleges like Riverland are an important link to developing the workforce that will help grow strong local economies.

“AT&T Minnesota is committed to helping advance the education of our young people, particularly in the critical fields of science, technology, engineering and math,” said Paul Weirtz, president of AT&T Minnesota. “We are proud to once again support Riverland’s scholarship program and help more students receive the STEM education they need to be prepared for careers in the 21^st Century.”

In addition to today’s donation, AT&T also provided a $13,000 donation to Riverland last year for an initial class of 13 scholarship recipients.

The mission of Riverland Community College Foundation is to raise, manage and distribute resources to support, enhance and promote the educational opportunities that Riverland offers. The Foundation supports the college in a variety of ways, including raising funds to increase access for students and advance the quality of programming.

“This is exciting news for Riverland students who are looking to explore STEM careers and are in need of financial support,” said State Senator Dan Sparks. “Many of today’s students face financial obstacles to realizing their dreams of a college education. Scholarship support is so critical to helping many students attend and graduate college.”

As a company, AT&T has a long-standing commitment to helping advance education through donations to local education organizations and through the AT&T Aspire program. One of the nation’s largest corporate initiatives, AT&T Aspire is committed to helping more students graduate from high school ready for college and careers.

AT&T and the AT&T Foundation have given nearly $87 million nationwide to support STEM initiatives since 1995. Projects supported by AT&T contributions range from STEM scholarship programs and science and math-focused summer camps for at-risk youth, to hands-on technology labs and elite robotics competitions at the nation’s leading universities.

About AT&T

AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) helps millions around the globe connect with leading entertainment, mobile, high speed Internet and voice services. We’re the world’s largest provider of pay TV. We have TV customers in the U.S. and 11 Latin American countries. In the U.S., our wireless network offers the nation’s strongest LTE signal and the most reliable 4G LTE network. We offer the best global wireless coverage*. And we help businesses worldwide serve their customers better with our mobility and secure cloud solutions.

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About Philanthropy & Social Innovation at AT&T

AT&T Inc. is committed to advancing education, strengthening communities and improving lives. Through its community initiatives, AT&T has a long history of investing in projects that create learning opportunities; promote academic and economic achievement; or address community needs. In 2013, more than $130 million was contributed or directed through corporate-, employee-, social investment- and AT&T Foundation-giving programs. AT&T Aspire is AT&T’s signature education initiative that drives innovation in education by bringing diverse resources to bear on the issue including funding, technology, employee volunteerism, and mentoring.

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