Fort Smith High School Senior Awarded 2024 OGE Positive Energy Scholarship
Northside High School senior Nadia Phan is announced as a 2024 OGE Positive Energy Scholar during a surprise celebration.
Fort Smith (April 19, 2024) – Earlier today, OGE Energy Corp. Foundation, Inc. announced Northside High School senior Nadia Phan as one of its 2024 OGE Positive Energy Scholars. As a Positive Energy Scholar, Phan will receive a total of $60,000 in scholarship funds over four years to cover tuition, books, fees and on-campus room and board.
Classmates, school administrators, teachers, mentors, representatives from Oklahoma Gas & Electric Co. (OG&E), and other members of the community gathered at Northside High School to surprise Phan, celebrate her academic accomplishments and cheer her on as OG&E officials surprised her with the scholarship award. Thanks to the financial assistance provided from the Positive Energy Scholarship, Phan will attend Oklahoma State University and major in industrial engineering without the financial burden often associated with obtaining higher education.
"Congratulations to Nadia on becoming a Positive Energy Scholar and the first honoree from Northside High School," said Sean Trauschke, Chairman, President, and CEO of OGE Energy Corp. "She is the epitome of a hardworking, multifaceted student and it's our privilege to support her collegiate endeavors. We are committed to building the STEM workforce of the future with bright engineering students like Nadia."
Phan was selected as one of this year’s Positive Energy Scholars from a competitive pool of applicants throughout OG&E’s service area in Oklahoma and west Arkansas and is the first recipient of Laos descent. In her application, she draws inspiration from her mother, who works 12-hour shifts to take care of her family, and her grandfather, a 50-year military veteran, who was a prisoner of war for 10 years in Laos.
“I am planning to get a job during school but with the help of this scholarship I would be able to focus on my education and surrounding groups and leadership opportunities without having to stress about the financial burden it could cost,” said Phan.
Phan’s widespread involvement at Northside High School, in addition to her exemplary academic achievements, stood out to the PES selection committee. She is a member of the National Honor Society, Student Council, Senior Council, Future Business Leaders of America and numerous other organizations. She’s also a member of the cheer and dance teams and hopes to continue those activities at Oklahoma State University.
Established in 2019, the OGE Positive Energy Scholarship empowers academically strong students to pursue a degree in a STEM-related major by providing critical financial need. Since 2012, OG&E and the OGE Energy Corp. have provided more than $2 million in scholarships for more than 300 students in the OG&E service area. Since launching the Positive Energy Scholarship program and including this year’s recipients, OGE Energy Corp. Foundation has awarded 18 Positive Energy Scholarships – totaling $900,000 – to high school seniors.
OG&E’s dedication to education investment is evident in the company’s continuous support to deserving students, teachers and schools. In addition to scholarships, the company also funds teacher projects, offers energy efficiency grants, provides classrooms with energy education materials and partners with educational institutions to cultivate a pipeline of strong industry professionals. To learn more about how OG&E invests in education across its service area, visit oge.com/education.
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About OGE Energy Corp. Foundation, Inc.
The OGE Energy Corp. Foundation Inc. provides grants to 501(c)(3) charities to support programs, organizations and institutions that enhance quality of life and economic well-being in the communities that we serve. The Foundation’s giving programs support nonprofit organizations throughout our service area. Its focus areas include education, arts and culture, environmental stewardship, health and human services, and community development. The Foundation also matches employee contributions to institutions of higher education.
About OG&E
Oklahoma Gas and Electric Company, a subsidiary of OGE Energy Corp. (NYSE: OGE), is Oklahoma's largest electric company. For 122 years, we have provided customers in Oklahoma and western Arkansas with the safe, reliable electricity needed to power their businesses and homes with some of the nation's lowest electric rates, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence. Our employees are committed to generating and delivering electricity, protecting the environment, and providing excellent service to approximately 889,000 customers. OG&E’s 7,240 MW of electric generation capacity is fueled by natural gas, wind, low-sulfur coal, and solar. OG&E employees live, work, and volunteer in the communities we serve. For more information about OG&E, visit us at OGE.com or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Contact:
OG&E Media Line: (405) 553-3616 or ogenews@oge.com
Northside High School senior Nadia Phan is announced as a 2024 OGE Positive Energy Scholar during a surprise celebration. Phan plans to attend OSU and major in industrial engineering.
