09/10/2007

Energy Co-op Sets Up Scholarship Endowment at Auburn University

AUBURN, Ala. — An organization that ultimately is responsible for generating the juice that keeps lights burning brightly in 380,000 homes and businesses in south and central Alabama and northwest Florida has just established an endowment that will provide scholarships to students majoring in agriculture at Auburn University.

Concerns about the precarious future facing farming prompted the Alabama Electric Cooperative—a company whose main mission is generating and transmitting wholesale power to its network of members—to fund a scholarship endowment, AEC ’s Horace Horn said.

“We are committed to ensuring a strong economy and improving the quality of life in the communities that we serve, and the continued existence of family farms is crucial to those goals,” said Horn, vice president of government and economic affairs for the Andalusia-based co-op.

“We want to make sure agriculture has a long-time presence in our service area,” he said. “Helping give young people the opportunity to pursue a degree in agriculture is a very real way we can do that.”

To be eligible for one of the scholarships, a student must live in a home that receives electric service from one of AEC’s 20 distribution members. In Alabama, those members include the cities of Andalusia, Brundidge, Elba and Opp, along with Baldwin EMC, Central Alabama, Clarke-Washington EMC, Coosa Valley, Covington, Dixie, Pea River, Pioneer, South Alabama, Southern Pine, Tallapoosa River and Wiregrass electric cooperatives.

Florida members include CHELCO, Escambia River, Gulf Coast and West Florida electric co-ops.

As set up at AU, the AEC endowment is called the PowerSouth Energy Cooperative Endowment for Scholarship in the College of Agriculture.

That’s because, as of Jan. 1, 2008, the 66-year-old, $1.5-billion Alabama Electric Co-op will become PowerSouth Energy.

“Operating in Florida as we do, having Alabama in the name didn’t serve us well down there, especially in our efforts to recruit industry,” Horn said. “The new name better represents the geographic diversity of our membership, and it will enhance our position as a leader in economic development.”

To learn more about the PowerSouth and other scholarships available through the AU College of Agriculture, contact Deborah Solie, Student Services coordinator, at 334.844.8900 or das0002@auburn.edu.

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News from:

Office of Ag Communications & Marketing

Auburn University College of Agriculture
Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station
3 Comer Hall, Auburn University
Auburn, AL 36849

334-844-4877 (PHONE) 334-844-5892 (FAX)

Contact: Jamie Creamer, 334-844-2783 or jcreamer@auburn.edu

For immediate release