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Last year, we launched the Equity & Diversity Scholarship which provides people in historically underrepresented communities, including Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC), with financial aid for post-secondary education.

We recognize the value and advantages of diverse ideas within our communities and are committed to providing a platform to support the next generation of leaders and champions in our industry. We¡¯re focused on growing diversity within the science, technology, engineer, arts, and math (STEAM) fields because we believe everyone has a right to education.

We received over 620 applicants from around the globe. Last year, we were able to give scholarships to 30 students as well as provided five paid internships in with our Water and Environmental Services teams in North America. This year, we gave 43 students around the globe funding for their continued education, and we have ten paid internships within our Infrastructure, Environmental Services, Buildings, and IT teams in North America.

Our interns will have a hands-on experience to see their potential in our organization as they spend their summer developing their skills in their area of study. We¡¯re excited to see our interns create lasting connections with their colleagues through their day-to-day activities, connections with our Employee Resource Groups, involvement with our Developing Professionals Group, and other opportunities they will have access to.

Our goal with the Equity & Diversity Scholarship is to show we believe in STEAM programs and want to encourage more students that their aspirations are achievable¡ªwe want them to have the opportunity to pursue their higher education goals.

This year, the recipients are from Australia, Canada, Haiti, India, United Kingdom, United States, Northern Mariana Islands, and New Zealand. The students are passionate about their studies and future careers which are in a wide range of disciplines including engineering, environmental sciences, journalism, cyber security, computer programing, medicine, animal sciences, architecture, music, and nursing. We have recipients who are part of Women in Science and Engineering, FIRST Robotics, Engineers Without Borders, Habitat for Humanity, the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, the Society of American Military Engineers, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, and Future Farms of America¡ªall organizations Â鶹´«Ã½ has supported or partnered with, making these connections even more impactful.

This scholarship program is part of a broader company strategy to create a framework that addresses the holistic impact that equity, diversity, and inclusion have in creating an engaged workplace culture, prioritizing talent development and retention and, ultimately, elevating design excellence. Built around the goal of attracting and retaining a diverse talent workforce, we want to help the next generation of industry leaders achieve their academic goals to better our communities. Through this scholarship and other I&D initiatives, we believe anything is possible.