ENERGYUNITED AWARDS COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS TO LOCAL STUDENTS

STATESVILLE, N.C. – EnergyUnited is pleased to announce the cooperative’s 2025 Empowering the Future Scholarship winners.

Grant Hughes and Julia Vecchiarello of Huntersville will each receive a $5,000 college scholarship from EnergyUnited to cover qualifying educational expenses.  Hughes and Vecchiarello were selected by a special committee comprised of EnergyUnited staff and Member Advisory Committee (MAC) volunteers from each of the cooperative’s three regions, in recognition of their academic successes and commitment to community service.

Vecchiarello expressed her appreciation for the honor, stating “I’m so grateful to receive this scholarship, and I appreciate the time that the selection committee invested in the process.” Hughes also shared his gratitude, saying, “I am so excited and truly honored to be chosen for this scholarship.”

Hughes, a senior at Lake Norman Charter High School, and Vecchiarello, a senior attending the Community School of Davidson, both plan to attend the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill this fall. Hughes plans to pursue a degree in Business Administration, and Vecchiarello will major in Data Science.

“Education has the power to transform lives and communities,” said Brian Sisson, president of the EnergyUnited Board of Directors. “Our Empowering the Future Scholarship Program reflects EnergyUnited’s commitment to community. By investing in these students, we are empowering the prospective leaders, innovators and problem-solvers who will strengthen our communities for future generations.”

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 a total of $80,000 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 142,201 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.

Julia Vecchiarello (left) and Grant Hughes (right) of Huntersville will each receive a $5,000 scholarship from EnergyUnited to cover qualifying educational expenses as they begin college classes this fall.