ComEd Awards Three Scholarships for DePaul College Prep Students Pursuing Careers in STEM

In sixth year, program provides financial assistance during high school and college, coaching by ComEd mentors

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--ComEd today announced the latest cohort of students to receive support in pursuing careers in the STEM (science, technology, engineering, math), business, and technology fields. Three students from DePaul College Prep will receive scholarship dollars and mentorship by ComEd engineers as they complete their high school education and look ahead to a postsecondary degree.

Since 2017, the DePaul College Prep scholarship, part of the ComEd Scholars program, has worked to encourage more Chicago-area students to explore careers in STEM – a fast growing sector that supports family-sustaining careers. To date, the program has supported 21 DePaul College Prep students as they prepare for jobs in the energy and STEM fields.

“Our investments in STEM education are part of our commitment to powering a bright and diverse workforce of problem-solvers,” said Michelle Blaise, ComEd's senior vice president of technical services at ComEd. "We congratulate three new students from DePaul College Prep for answering the call and considering a career in STEM. This program is one way ComEd is working to recruit the best and the brightest from our communities to help build our clean energy future.”

This year's scholars – all juniors at DePaul College Prep – receive academic scholarships that provide financial support through the remainder of their academic careers at DePaul College Prep and will continue should they enroll in STEM-related studies at DePaul University. High school students who commit to STEM coursework in high school and a STEM-related major in college can receive up to $60,000 in scholarship funding from ComEd.

The 2022 ComEd Scholars from DePaul College Prep are:

• Marie Favela, a junior at DePaul College Prep and Albany Park native who is interested in pursuing a degree in accounting.

• Jack Hoste, a junior at DePaul College Prep and Lakeview native who is interested in pursuing a degree in mechanical engineering.

• Kyle Phillips, a junior at DePaul College Prep and Lincoln Park native who is interested in pursuing a degree in engineering.

“Thanks to ComEd's support, students at DePaul College Prep have had the opportunity to explore their passions for STEM over the past five years,” said Mary Dempsey, president of DePaul College Prep. “The tremendous impact of these scholarships and the meaningful relationships students build with the great mentors at ComEd are immeasurable. We are proud of this incredible partnership between DePaul Prep, ComEd and DePaul University, and look forward to the continued success of the ComEd Scholars program in the future.”

ComEd will celebrate the first-ever graduate of the DePaul College Prep Scholars to be hired full time by the company. This spring, Tim Kowalczuk will graduate from DePaul University and will start his first job as a senior product analyst at Constellation, the largest carbon-free energy producer and leading supplier of energy products and services. Kowalczuk, a Cyber-Physical Systems Engineering major, joins the company full time after working as an intern with Exelon’s IT team.

“I am so grateful for the support and the professional opportunities offered by the ComEd Scholars program,” said Tim Kowalczuk, DePaul University Class of 2022. “Ever since I first joined the robotics team in high school, I’ve been inspired to pursue a career in science and engineering. Thanks to the ComEd Scholarship I received, I have been able to do just that. I look forward to joining some of the nation’s best STEM professionals when I start my career at Constellation this summer.”

“STEM education is vital to building a strong future for the United States, one in which creative young people are skilled in the theories and practices necessary to make important breakthroughs in a host of technical fields,” said Dr. Gabriel Esteban, president of DePaul University. “Scholarship support is critical to helping students pursue their academic and career goals. We are pleased to work with ComEd and DePaul Prep on this continued partnership that achieves such positive outcomes for Chicago students and the city’s thriving business and industry.”

The DePaul College Prep Scholars program builds on ComEd’s work and commitment to increase diverse, local representation in STEM-focused careers – which includes similar investments in STEM Scholars, programming at Illinois Tech, and across partnership with other academic institutions in the region. In 2021 alone, ComEd’s education and workforce development programming reached over 1,700 participants in the Chicago area.​​​​

ComEd is a unit of Chicago-based Exelon Corporation (NASDAQ: EXC), a Fortune 100 energy company with approximately 10 million electricity and natural gas customers – the largest number of customers in the U.S. ComEd powers the lives of more than 4 million customers across northern Illinois, or 70 percent of the state’s population. For more information visit ComEd.com and connect with the company on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube