ENERGYUNITED AWARDS COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS TO LOCAL STUDENTS 

STATESVILLE, N.C. – EnergyUnited is pleased to announce the cooperative’s 2026 Empowering the Future Scholarship winners. 

Emerson Bishop of Davidson, N.C., and Grace Baker of Statesville, N.C., will each receive a $5,000 college scholarship from EnergyUnited to cover qualifying educational expenses. Bishop and Baker were selected by a special committee comprised of EnergyUnited staff and Member Advisory Committee (MAC) volunteers from each of the cooperative’s three regions. They were selected based on their academic achievements, leadership and commitment to community service. 

“Through the Empowering the Future Scholarship Program, EnergyUnited is honored to invest in students who are making a lasting difference in their schools and communities,” said Thomas Golden, CEO of EnergyUnited. “These scholarship recipients exemplify the leadership, resilience and service-minded spirit that will help shape a brighter future for our communities.” 

Bishop, a senior at Pine Lake Preparatory, plans to attend Coastal Carolina University, where she will double major in musical theater and marine biology. Baker, a senior at North Iredell High School, plans to attend the University of South Carolina to major in nursing. Both students have demonstrated exceptional dedication in the classroom and in their communities. 

“Receiving the Empowering the Future Scholarship means so much because it shows others believe in my goals and potential,” Baker said. “This scholarship motivates me to keep working hard and to pursue my dream of becoming a CRNA so I can make a positive impact in the lives of others.” 

Bishop also expressed her appreciation, saying, “I’m honored and grateful to receive the EnergyUnited Empowering the Future Scholarship. I appreciate EnergyUnited’s investment in my future as I begin my college journey and the support in helping me pursue my educational goals.” 

The Empowering the Future Scholarship Program was established by EnergyUnited in 2018 as part of the cooperative’s ongoing commitment to education and community support. Since its inception, the cooperative has awarded more than $100,000 in scholarships to help local students pursue higher education and achieve their academic goals. 

About EnergyUnited   EnergyUnited Electric Membership Corporation (EMC) is the largest electric cooperative in North Carolina with 145,038 member connections. Headquartered in Statesville, EnergyUnited provides electric service in portions of 19 counties in west central North Carolina which include Alexander, Cabarrus, Caldwell, Catawba, Davidson, Davie, Forsyth, Gaston, Guilford, Iredell, Lincoln, Mecklenburg, Montgomery, Randolph, Rockingham, Rowan, Stokes, Wilkes and Yadkin. Visit energyunited.com to learn more about the cooperative’s energy services and community programs.

Emerson Bishop (left) of Davidson and Grace Baker (right) of Statesville will each receive a $5,000 scholarship from EnergyUnited to cover qualifying educational expenses as they begin college classes this fall.