PSEG Partners With United States Naval Academy to Provide Educational Opportunities

NEWARK, N.J., Oct. 19 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- PSEG executives, United States Naval Academy officials and Newark community and school leaders joined today to launch an innovative  program to raise awareness among Newark families, educators and college-bound high school students of the education opportunities offered by the Academy. PSEG hosted the working session at its Newark corporate headquarters.

Bill Levis, president and COO of PSEG Power discussed the company's recent partnership with the Academy and the important role PSEG will play in helping to identify, attract and mentor qualified Newark high school students. This educational initiative was especially appealing to Levis, a retired commander in the Naval Reserves and a Naval Academy graduate.

"Improving science, technology, engineering and math training has been a priority for our company for a long time," said Levis.  "This is why PSEG's partnership with the Naval Academy fits our personality and business model. The Academy also offers the additional benefit of an emphasis on leadership development through its emphasis on character, honor and commitment - helping to ensure America's future scientists and engineers are prepared to be leaders."  

The Academy offers student the opportunity for tuition-free, higher education and leadership training. To achieve the long-range goal of developing and implementing a program that would increase the number of applicants and admissions annually, the U.S. Naval Academy Foundation launched a corporate partner program in support of minority outreach and admissions excellence. To help support the Academy's regionally focused outreach efforts, the PSEG Foundation has made a four year $200,000 financial commitment.

"Many talented students don't realize that the Naval Academy is an attractive option," said Vaughn McKoy, president of the PSEG Foundation. "But we can play an important role in helping them recognize that careers in these fields are available and can open doors. We're proud to be New Jersey's corporate sponsor for the Naval Academy's minority recruitment effort - an investment important to making our state and our country a better place."

The Academy's outreach strategy will also include a one-week summer STEM program designed to introduce middle school students and high school freshman to science,  technology and math concepts and encourage them to take technical foundation courses while in high school in preparation for a technical college degree.

"We have seen a corresponding significant increase in applications over the last few years," said Bruce Latta, dean of admissions for the U.S. Naval Academy. "This has been the result of a focused effort to make more educators, guidance counselors and school leaders nationwide aware of the tremendous opportunities the Naval Academy offers. We greatly appreciated this recent opportunity to work with regional educators and the community, to give them information they can use to discuss the diversity of educational and career opportunities available to the talented young students in their schools and communities."  

The Mission of the Unites States Naval Academy is to develop midshipmen morally, mentally, and physically and to imbue them with the highest ideals of duty, honor and loyalty in order to provide graduates who are dedicated to a career of naval service and have the potential for future development in mind and character to assume the highest responsibilities of command, citizenship and government.

Public Service Enterprise Group (PSEG) (NYSE:PEG) is a publicly traded diversified energy company with three principal subsidiaries: PSEG Power, PSEG Energy Holdings, and Public Service Electric and Gas Company (PSE&G). PSEG has a long tradition of caring for New Jersey's people and communities. Each year, the company and its employees invest millions of dollars and thousands of hours to improve the quality of life in New Jersey. The company's culture dictates that service to customers and community go hand-in-hand.

SOURCE Public Service Enterprise Group (PSEG)