Press Release
Three graduating seniors from high schools in Santa Cruz County have been selected to receive a one-time academic scholarship from mining company South32. Among them was local student Brianna Young of Patagonia Union High School.
Students who receive the $2,500 scholarship show a strong academic performance and have plans to pursue secondary studies in science, technology, engineering or math (STEM).
South32 STEM Scholarship requires that all applicants submit an essay about their STEM ambitions, and all submissions are then reviewed by an independent selection committee.
“It’s inspiring to see the focus and passion expressed by these students,” says Pat Risner, President of the South32 Hermosa Project. “In our own workforce, I see what happens when young women and men who pursued STEM studies after high school later arrive into careers where they can channel their passion into real-world challenges, within an industry that values them. They’re innovators, problem-solvers, and changemakers, so we are happy to support these scholarship recipients in realizing their own potential.”
The South32 Hermosa STEM Scholarship is awarded each May to three local college-bound seniors with a 3.0 or higher GPA and with an expressed desire to major in a STEM-related field.