GCI to award $100,000 in scholarships to Alaska students in 2022
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – GCI has committed $100,000 this year to support Alaska students through two different scholarship programs. Forty Alaska students who have decided to pursue a career in Science, Technology, Education and Math (STEM) will each receive a $2,000 scholarship for tuition and books during the 2022-23 academic year through the GCI Scholarship Program. An additional 10 scholarships will also be awarded to Alaska Pacific University students through the GCI Donovan Walsh Scholarship.
Over the past 20 years, GCI has awarded over $6 million in scholarships to hundreds of Alaska students attending accredited colleges and vocational/trade schools across the nation.
“Employers want and need graduates who have digital literacy, communication, critical thinking and problem-solving skills that STEM graduates provide,” said Annette Jones, Vice President of GCI Government, Healthcare and Education. “Investing in Alaska’s students today provides a promise for a bright future and is the foundation of future leaders, growth, prosperity and opportunity for years to come.”
Applicants for the GCI Scholarship must be a graduating senior of an Alaska high school and be seeking a degree or certification in the fields of science, technology, engineering, math or business/innovation with the intention of returning to Alaska to start their career. Preference will be given to applicants who express an intention to start their career in Alaska, participate in STEM-based extracurriculars, and those living in a rural location (e.g., outside the Municipality of Anchorage, Fairbanks North Star Borough, and the City of Juneau).
The GCI Scholarship Program opens Feb. 3, 2022. Applications must be submitted no later than 5 p.m. AKST on March 17, 2022. Visit https://www.gci.com/why-gci/gcigives/gci-scholarship-program to apply or for more information.
GCI has also donated $20,000 to Alaska Pacific University in honor of Donovan Walsh, an Alaskan who suddenly passed away in late August 2020. Donovan was the son of Bob Walsh, a longtime GCI employee beloved by all who have worked with him. As GCI’s Director of Rural Affairs, Bob played a key role in delivering connectivity to small, rural communities statewide. APU will use the donation to administer the GCI Donovan Walsh Scholarship. Visit APU’s scholarship webpage for more information.
GCI is one of Alaska’s leaders in corporate philanthropy, donating approximately $2 million each year in cash, products, and connectivity to organizations across the state. GCI is committed to giving back to the communities it serves and provides employees with 16 hours of paid leave to volunteer with local organizations. In 2021, more than 460 GCI employees volunteered over 4,400 hours with local non-profit organizations across the state.
For more information about the GCI Gives program, visit http://www.gci.com/why-gci/gcigives.
About GCI
Headquartered in Alaska, GCI provides data, mobile, video, voice and managed services to consumer, business, government, and carrier customers throughout Alaska, serving more than 200 communities. The company has invested more than $3 billion in its Alaska network and facilities over the past 40 years and recently launched true standards-based 5G NR service in Anchorage, now the nation’s northernmost 5G service area. Learn more about GCI at www.gci.com. GCI is a wholly owned subsidiary of Liberty Broadband Corporation (Nasdaq: LBRDA, LBRDK, LBRDP). Learn more about Liberty Broadband at http://www.libertybroadband.com.