NEWPORT NEWS, Va., June 21, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Huntington Ingalls Industries (NYSE: HII ) announced today that its 2017 HII Scholarship Fund has awarded 100 pre-kindergarten and post-secondary scholarships to children of employees across its enterprise.
The HII Scholarship Fund, now in its second year, is administered through Scholarship America. The scholarship fund was formed to provide financial assistance to qualified and selected dependent children of HII employees who are pursuing a post-secondary college or technical/vocation degree and dependent children who are enrolled in quality pre-kindergarten school readiness programs. HII was able to award its goal of 100 scholarships for the 2017-2018 school year. In the fund’s first year, 78 scholarships were awarded.
“Meeting our goal this year means 100 students will have a better opportunity to achieve their academic aspirations,” said Mike Petters, HII’s president and CEO. “In addition to new award recipients, we were able to renew scholarships awarded last year, meaning the HII Scholarship Fund is already having a lasting and positive impact on both the families and academic careers of its recipients. Education is a vital component of a prepared workforce, and HII is committed to providing our workforce and their families with the tools they need to succeed.”
For the second year in a row, Petters declined his annual salary, but for $1, to fund the program. As part of HII’s commitment to workforce development, efforts to invest in the future generations of workers through education, from pre-K through college, is a top priority. HII supports numerous workforce development efforts including investment in STEM education programs; partnerships with community colleges and technical schools to develop trade-based curriculum; summer internships for both students and teachers, and industry-leading apprentice schools at the company’s two shipyards.
Of the scholarships awarded, 30 were granted to post-secondary students in four-year education programs, 20 were granted to post-secondary students in two-year technical/vocation programs, and 50 were granted to students in pre-kindergarten school readiness programs. The parents of the scholarship awardees work across the HII enterprise.
Children of all HII employees are eligible to apply for the scholarship fund, with the exception of children of senior executives and those employees who have been with the company for less than two years. Guidelines and applications for the 2018 program will be available in early 2018.
Individual award amounts range from $1,500 for selected students enrolled in a two-year college program to $3,000 for selected students enrolled in a four-year program; the post-secondary awards are renewable for recipients who remain in good academic standing. The fund also awards scholarships of up to $3,000 for pre-school education costs.
The selection process for awards is independent of HII and based on both academic scholarship and financial need. No employee or officer of HII plays a part in the selection process.
Huntington Ingalls Industries is America’s largest military shipbuilding company and a provider of professional services to partners in government and industry. For more than a century, HII’s Newport News and Ingalls shipbuilding divisions in Virginia and Mississippi have built more ships in more ship classes than any other U.S. naval shipbuilder. HII’s Technical Solutions division provides a wide range of professional services through its Fleet Support, Integrated Missions Solutions, Nuclear & Environmental, and Oil & Gas groups. Headquartered in Newport News, Virginia, HII employs nearly 37,000 people operating both domestically and internationally. For more information, visit:
- HII on the web: www.huntingtoningalls.com
- HII on Facebook: www.facebook.com/HuntingtonIngallsIndustries
- HII on Twitter: twitter.com/hiindustries
Contact: Beci Brenton Beci.brenton@hii-co.com 202-264-7143
