PSEG Foundation Awards $200,000 Grant to Support Career Enhancement Program for Military and Veteran Students and Advance Thomas Edison State University's STEM Initiatives

TRENTON, N.J., March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The PSEG Foundation recently awarded a two-year, $200,000 grant to expand programs for active-duty service members and veterans and advance the development of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) courses at Thomas Edison State University.

The funding will support substantial improvements to the university's existing Military and Veteran Portal (MVP) and Career Enhancement Initiative. The university plans to expand career advising and job placement resources offered through the MVP that meet the needs of veterans and service members. In addition, the grant will support the development of simulations and virtual laboratories in online STEM courses offered by the university.

"This support from the PSEG Foundation will play a critical role in the development of innovative programs designed for our active-duty service members and veterans to promote the achievement of their personal aspirations and career goals," said John Thurber, vice president for public affairs at the university. "Funding of these initiatives will allow the institution to foster a pathway of success for our students and continue to prepare a strong pipeline of STEM-educated adults for today's workforce."

Support for the Career Enhancement Initiative will bring improved functionality to the MVP by focusing on degree completion, as well as connecting users with career advisement and specific job opportunities based on their interests and training. Since its launch in 2014, the portal has enabled more than 5,000 service members and veterans to understand how their military training can be transferred and applied as credit to a college degree, view potential degree programs aligned with their training and estimate the cost of their education - all before they apply for admission.

The university's implementation of STEM/Nuclear Energy Engineering laboratory simulation technology in online courses will assist in meeting the needs of adult students, increasing student retention and degree achievement, while expanding the academic rigor of the entire STEM curriculum.

"Our country's veterans and active military professionals are exceptional leaders and trained professionals who add tremendous value to our workforce," said Barb Short, PSEG chief diversity officer and senior director, corporate citizenship and culture. "As a company of colleagues dedicated to service and operational excellence, we're proud to continue our longstanding partnership with Thomas Edison State University and support the university's career initiatives dedicated to service members and veterans."

Check out PSEG's Energize! blog post, "Offering veterans pathway to better career," to watch a short video and learn more about how the longstanding partnership between PSEG and Thomas Edison State University has proved to be life changing for three U.S. veterans.

About the PSEG Foundation
The PSEG Foundation (501c3) is the philanthropic arm of Public Service Enterprise Group (NYSE:PEG). The Foundation generally supports and invests in programs in three areas: community and the environment, education and safety. The Foundation provides grants to organizations in communities served by PSEG and its subsidiaries. 

Public Service Enterprise Group (NYSE: PEG) is a publicly traded diversified energy company with annual revenues of $9.1 billion and approximately 13,000 employees. Headquartered in Newark, N.J., PSEG's principal operating subsidiaries are: Public Service Electric and Gas Company (PSE&G), PSEG Power and PSEG Long Island. PSEG is a Fortune 500 company included in the S&P 500 Index and has been named to the Dow Jones Sustainability Index for North America for 10 consecutive years. (www.pseg.com).

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About Thomas Edison State University
Thomas Edison State University provides flexible, high-quality, collegiate learning opportunities for self-directed adults. One of New Jersey's senior public institutions of higher education, the University offers associate, bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees. Students earn degrees through a wide variety of rigorous and high-quality academic methods that can be customized to meet their individual needs. Identified by The New York Times as "the college that paved the way for flexibility," Thomas Edison State University is a national leader in the assessment of adult learning and a pioneer in the use of educational technologies. The University is home to The John S. Watson Institute for Public Policy. The New Jersey State Library is an affiliate of Thomas Edison State University. Learn more at www.tesu.edu.

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SOURCE PSEG Foundation

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