Amazon awards College Station High School senior up to $40,000 scholarship to pursue computer science, engineering
April 19, 2024– Amazon surprised College Station High School senior Cynthia Zhao with an up to $40,000 scholarship to pursue computer science, engineering or related degrees at the college or university of her choice. During an event at College Station High School on April 18, the company and College Station ISD representatives celebrated the new Amazon Future Engineer Scholarship recipient.
Cynthia is among 43 students across Texas and 400 nationwide that Amazon is awarding scholarships to this year, along with a paid internship offer at Amazon after their freshman year of college. This opportunity will allow eligible scholars to gain hands-on, practical work experience with mentorship from Amazon leaders. Through Amazon Future Engineer, the company’s global philanthropic education initiative, each student will also receive skills development and mental health resources, access to an emergency grant fund for unexpected financial obligations that might prevent them from attending school, and networking opportunities with their peers and Amazon employees.
Recipients were chosen based on a variety of criteria, including their academic achievement, demonstrated leadership, participation in school and community activities, work experience, future goals, and financial need. Amazon partnered with Scholarship America to review the applications and select the 400 scholars.
“Congratulations to Cynthia! She is a dedicated student that has always made academics a high priority,” said Kimberly Munoz, career & technology teacher at College Station High School. “Her kindness, curiosity and problem-solving skills are exactly what we need in future engineers! I can't wait to see where this opportunity takes her!”
Through Amazon Future Engineer, 166,400 students from Texas schools receive STEM education and career exploration courses. These efforts are part of Amazon’s commitment to increase student access to computer science opportunities across the U.S., inspire youth to explore STEM career pathways, and promote diversity and inclusion in tech the industry.
“Our scholarship recipients' unwavering dedication to academic excellence and their passion for leveraging technology to uplift communities is truly inspiring,” said Victor Reinoso, global director of education philanthropy at Amazon. “By investing in computer science education for students from historically underrepresented and underserved communities, we're not only empowering them to pursue rewarding careers but also equipping them with skills to drive innovation that will shape a more equitable and sustainable future for generations to come.”
Computer science is the fastest-growing profession within the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) field. The Bureau of Labor and Statistics (BLS) projected the market for computer science occupations will grow 23% between 2022 and 2032, much faster than the average for all occupations. Additionally, BLS reported the median annual wage for computer and information technology occupations was $100,530 in May 2022, more than twice the median annual wage for all occupations. Yet, the U.S. National Science Foundation reports that Black, Latino, and Native American (BLNA) students remain broadly underrepresented in STEM fields, representing only 26% of science and engineering bachelor's degrees.
In Texas, there are currently over 30,400 open computing jobs with an average salary of $104,604. Yet according to Code.org, only 5,538 students graduated with a computer science degree in 2020, and only 54 percent of all public high schools currently offer a foundational course.
Amazon Future Engineer, Amazon’s global philanthropic computer science education initiative, aims to increase student access to computer science education. The program funds high-quality STEM curriculum and educator professional learning to help school districts implement sustainable K–12 computer science initiatives. As part of this effort, Amazon funds the development of customized curriculum that accounts for the unique cultural perspectives, interests, and experiences of BLNA students. In addition to the Scholarship program, Amazon Future Engineer offers virtual career tours and project-based learning modules that bring role models to classrooms to help students explore careers of the future through real-world experiences.
Amazon launched the Amazon Future Engineer Scholarship program in 2019, awarding hundreds of students annually with up to $40,000 over four years to pursue an undergraduate science or engineering degree. Amazon Future Engineer has committed $54 million in scholarships to 1,350 students from underserved and historically underrepresented communities across the U.S. since the program’s inception.
About Amazon Future Engineer
Amazon Future Engineer is a childhood-to-career computer science education program intended to inspire and educate millions of students from historically underrepresented communities globally, including millions of students in the U.S. each year. Students explore computer science through school curriculum and project-based learning, using code to make music, program robots, and solve problems. Additionally, each year Amazon Future Engineer awards hundreds of students with four-year, up to $40,000 scholarships and paid industry internships to promote diversity and inclusion in the field. The program is currently available in Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, India, the UK and U.S. For more information, visit amazonfutureengineer.com.