Exelon Foundation Launches Free STEM Academy for High School Boys

August 26, 2024

Exelon and The Exelon Foundation have created an Academy focused on energy, sustainability and climate change

CHICAGO - Exelon (Nasdaq: EXC) and The Exelon Foundation kicked off the inaugural Boys to STEM Academy on July 28 to encourage and support young men in grades 10 and 11 looking to explore STEM-related fields. The Boys to STEM Academy offered a free, week-long curriculum including a series of climate-focused STEM challenges, conversations with leaders in STEM, and mentoring sessions with Exelon employees. Sixty participants, fifteen from each Exelon region, were selected for the inaugural Academy. Participating students from Exelon service areas in Illinois (ComEd), Delaware (Delmarva Power), Maryland (BGE and Pepco), New Jersey (Atlantic City Electric) and Pennsylvania (PECO), journeyed to the event, held at the University of Maryland, College Park.

Since 2018, The Exelon Foundation has offered a STEM Academy each summer for high school girls from the communities Exelon serves, to build the pipeline of women in STEM fields. More than 1,200 girls have participated to date. Exelon and the Exelon Foundation are now working to build on the success of that program by addressing the current needs among young men.

"The new Boys to STEM Academy represents our expanding commitment to putting equity in energy, making it possible to reach even more young people across the communities we serve," said Exelon President and Chief Executive Officer Calvin Butler. "Providing these young men access to a week-long STEM Academy shines a light on the opportunities they have for a career in STEM. We hope that by continuing to invest in bright young minds at critical points in their lives, we are not only positively influencing their future, but the future of the entire energy industry."

The American Psychological Association (APA) reports that, "by the time boys finish high school, many lack the knowledge and skills required to succeed in higher education." By launching a Boys to STEM Academy, Exelon is working to empower young men with the knowledge and resources that can help reverse this trend, while inspiring an interest in energy careers. According to research from the National Center for Science and Engineering, workers in STEM fields experience lower unemployment rates while also earning higher salaries than the non-STEM labor force. Research also shows that STEM skills are fundamental parts for productivity, growth and innovation in the business world. By offering a platform for students to consider STEM academics, the Academy can serve as another gateway toward energy career paths that Exelon offers ranging from engineering to cybersecurity and beyond.