FT. LAUDERDALE, Fla., Sept. 24, 2014 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Liberty Power, the nation’s largest independent retail electric supplier, is proud to announce the top three winners of its second annual Liberty Power Bright Horizons Scholarship program. The scholarship – a collaborative effort between Liberty Power and the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC) Foundation – awarded three college students a collective $18,000 during the USHCC National Convention which took place September 21 – 23 in Salt Lake City, Utah. A fourth scholarship has been added this year in the form of a $2,000 “People’s Choice” award and will be presented next month as part of a social media competition.

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“We continue to enjoy working with Liberty Power on the Bright Horizons Scholarship. It’s an incredible feeling to know that you’re making a big impact in the lives of these students,” said Marc Rodriguez, Chairman of the USHCC Board.

The Bright Horizons Scholarship is for college students studying science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) with an interest in pursuing a career in energy or the environment.

The top three winners were chosen by a selection committee that included: seven business leaders and policymakers within the energy industry, last year’s Bright Horizons grand prize winner, Tatiana Narvaez, and a communal vote from Liberty Power employees. They  elected one grand prize winner to receive a $10,000 scholarship, one first runner up to receive a $5,000 scholarship, and one second runner up to receive a $3,000 scholarship. The top three winners were honored by David Hernandez, co-founder and CEO of Liberty Power, and the USHCC during the annual convention’s closing gala on September 23.   

“Spending time with this year’s Bright Horizons Scholarship winners has been very rewarding. Learning about their accomplishments and passion for energy and the environment at such a young age is incredible,” said Mr. Hernandez. “Our partnership with the USHCC Foundation to help today’s youth pursue their educational goals continues to be a wonderful endeavor.”

The $10,000 scholarship was awarded to Blane Wilson, who is earning his undergraduate degree in electrical engineering from Stanford University.

“When I found out I was a scholarship winner, I was overcome with gratitude for being recognized and offered the opportunities that come with this honor,” said Mr. Wilson. “This award encourages me to continue pursuing my career, where I hope to address the world’s growing energy demand while protecting our environment. I want to advocate STEM education for underrepresented students whose perspectives can build better solutions in whatever field they’re passionate about.”

The $5,000 scholarship was awarded to Chelsea Clark, an undergraduate student at The University of Texas at Austin in chemical engineering.

“I felt so humbled and honored to be chosen as a winner of this scholarship. This means I will be able to focus on pursuing my ultimate career goal of doing research and development in the energy industry,” said Ms. Clark. “I hope my work can help supplement the world’s projected energy demand and reduce our total carbon footprint in the process.”

Ileana Delgado was awarded the $3,000 scholarship. She is earning her master’s degree in industrial engineering at The University of Texas at El Paso.

“When I was told I was one of the top three winners I could not believe it. Being a winner means being proud of what I have already achieved and being hopeful of what is to come,” said Ms. Delgado. “As an industrial engineer, I will be able to help future generations by optimizing sustainable processes in order to make them affordable.”

The recipient of the fourth scholarship, valued at $2,000, is still up for grabs. The newest element of the Bright Horizons Scholarship program involves a social media competition. Six finalists have been selected and will need to collect as many votes as possible via Facebook to take home the “People’s Choice” award. The voting opened on September 22 and runs through October 17. The winner will be announced in late October. To learn more about the People’s Choice award, and to vote for the winner, visit Liberty Power’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/LibertyPowerCorp.

About Liberty Power
Headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Liberty Power is the largest completely independent, privately-held retail electric supplier in the United States based on 2014 KEMA rankings of electric retailers. The company is also the first minority-owned supplier with a national footprint, and the largest Hispanic-owned energy company in the United States according to Hispanic Business. Liberty Power provides large and small businesses, government agencies and residential customers with low-cost electricity and exceptional customer service.

For more information on Liberty Power, please visit www.libertypowercorp.com

About the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
Founded in 1979, the USHCC actively promotes the economic growth and development of Hispanic entrepreneurs and represents the interests of nearly 3 million Hispanic-owned businesses in the United States that generate $465 billion annually. It also serves as the umbrella organization for more than 200 local Hispanic chambers in the United States and Puerto Rico. For more information, please visit www.ushcc.com.  

About the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Foundation
The USHCC Foundation is committed to giving Hispanic entrepreneurs life-long learning by developing and implementing initiatives and educational campaigns to awaken and nurture their entrepreneurial spirit. The Foundation leverages corporate and public support to ensure that existing and aspiring Latino entrepreneurs gain access and achieve success in the world of business. Please visit www.ushccfoundation.org for more information on the USHCC Foundation.

Liberty Power is a registered trademark of Liberty Power Corp. LLC, whose subsidiaries are certified and licensed to provide retail electric service by the PUC / PSC of CA, CT, DC, DE, IL, ME, MD, MA, MI, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, TX and VA.

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