PPL Foundation announced June 29 the 2021 recipients of its annual Powering a Brighter Future scholarship program, which will provide financial awards to outstanding students from communities throughout eastern and central Pennsylvania.

“As PPL looks to the future, we understand the important role engineers, information technology and trade professionals will play in advancing so many different aspects of life for the benefit of humanity.

“This includes reshaping how the world produces, delivers, uses and thinks about energy,” said Lissette Santana, chief operating officer of the PPL Foundation. “With this in mind, PPL Foundation is pleased to support the academic pursuits of the next generation of leaders in these fields.”

The PPL Foundation awarded scholarships totaling $90,000.

With a focus on increasing diversity, equity and inclusion in STEM careers, the program awarded 10 Power Scholars and four Powerful Tech and Trade scholarships to minority and female students.

Two additional tech and trade scholarships were awarded.

The 2021 Powering a Brighter Future Scholarship recipients:

Power Scholars:

Allentown: Purva Gupta;

Breinigsville: Taran Anantasagar, Ankhitha Manjunatha, and Mustapha Salau.

Powerful Tech and Trade:

Kempton: Ellissa Kunkel.

Scholarships will be available each year to qualifying students enrolled in trade and degree programs.

Applications are accepted Jan. 25 to March 1 every year.

To learn more about the scholarship program, visit pplweb.com/communities/brighter-future-scholarships.