​WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 30, 2018) – Pepco helped recognize five local high students at the 2018 American Association of Blacks in Energy (AABE) scholarship awards luncheon held at the Pepco Edison Place Gallery. The annual scholarships are given to local high school students pursuing continued education in energy related fields. Each scholarship recipient is awarded a $2,000 scholarship and will also receive vouchers to buy additional school supplies. ​

"By investing in these five students, we are investing in our own success, in the growth of our businesses, in innovation, and economic dynamism," said Dave Velazquez, president and CEO, Pepco Holdings. "Diversity and inclusion are more than words on a page for Pepco, they stand at the center of how we do business.  We are more successful when we tap into the wide range of perspectives, experiences, and approaches that different people bring to the workplace each day."  

This year's winners are: Shalom Akpakla from Academy of Health Sciences at Prince George's Community College in Largo, MD; Karinton DeVille from McKinley Technology High School in the District of Columbia; Samantha O'Sullivan from School Without Walls High School in the District of Columbia; Alahna Smith from Wheaton High School in Silver Spring, MD; and Adeloa Sulaiman from Frederick Douglass High School in Upper Marlboro, MD.

"We take huge pride in honoring these students who not only are outstanding scholars and citizens, but who also represent the promise, hope, and future of our great nation," said Shaun Garrison, president of AABE's D.C. Chapter. "We would also like to thank Pepco, and all of our corporate sponsors. Without your generosity, these important scholarships would not be possible."

The American Association of Blacks in Energy is a professional association composed of African Americans in the energy industry. Through its scholarship program, the D.C. chapter seeks to help increase the number of African Americans, Hispanics and Native Americans (underrepresented minorities) in energy related fields.  Pepco has been a proud corporate sponsor of the awards since 2014. 

For more than 40 years, the AABE D.C chapter has been working with like-minded energy professionals and organizations, like Pepco, to ensure the ideas of African Americans along with other minorities are part of the discussion and development of national energy policies and regulations.

Pepco has a long history with AABE, and several employees are current members of the association.  This year, nearly 70 employees from across Pepco's parent company Exelon, attended the AABE 41^st national conference in Las Vegas, NV. 

For Pepco and Exelon, diversity and inclusion are core foundational values both in the workplace and in outreach to the people it serves. Exelon has increased spending with women and minority-owned businesses by more than 200 percent since 2011, reaching nearly two billion in 2017.

To learn more, readers are encouraged to visit The Source, Pepco's online news room. Find additional information about Pepco by visiting www.pepco.com. Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pepcoconnect and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/pepcoconnect. Our mobile app is available at www.pepco.com/mobileapp.

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 About Pepco: Pepco, a public utility owned by Exelon Corporation (NYSE: EXC), provides safe and reliable energy to more than 842,000 electric delivery customers in Maryland and the District of Columbia.