Sharing the Power Foundation Celebrates Five-Year Milestone and Announces 2026 Class of Clean Energy Fellows

Twenty-two emerging clean energy leaders from 18 universities nationwide join a program that has now awarded more than $1 million in scholarships.

WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES, September 30, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Sharing the Power Foundation (www.sharingthepower.org), a national nonprofit dedicated to equitable access to clean energy and environmental opportunity, announced its 2026 Class of Clean Energy Fellows — 22 high-achieving students representing 18 universities across the United States. The announcement marks a landmark moment for the Foundation celebrating more than $1 million in scholarships awarded over its first five years of operation.

Sharing the Power Foundation Clean Energy Fellows Program is among the nation's most comprehensive undergraduate and graduate workforce development initiatives in the clean energy sector. Designed for students pursuing careers at the intersection of energy, technology, and policy, the program offers a powerful combination of financial support, professional access, and real-world experience. Fellows receive merit-based scholarships and paid internships, alongside a rigorous weekly seminar series that puts them in direct dialogue with senior leaders across utilities, technology, finance, manufacturing, renewable energy development, and public policy. The program is intentional in its reach, drawing from HBCUs, land-grant institutions, and research universities ensuring that the talent pipeline for the clean energy economy reflects the communities it is meant to serve.

"We're proud to celebrate a significant milestone for Sharing the Power Foundation: more than $1 million in scholarships awarded over our first five years. But the true impact of this milestone is measured in the students. We are investing in their talent, their determination, and their commitment to shaping a cleaner, more sustainable future,” said Lauren Strickland, Fellowship Director, Sharing the Power Foundation.

This year's class represents a remarkable range of disciplines from applied physics and computer engineering to environmental science and public policy united by a shared commitment to a cleaner, more equitable future. Upon completing the program, undergraduate Fellows return to their home campuses as Foundation Ambassadors, championing sustainability initiatives, and guiding peers toward careers in clean energy. Graduate Fellows and alumni carry the program's values directly into the workforce, joining the growing network of Sharing the Power alumni who are shaping the clean energy economy from the inside.

The Foundation introduced a landmark new initiative: the Energy Equity for All Pitch Competition challenging Fellows to develop and present innovative, actionable solutions to real-world energy and environmental challenges. The competition represents the Foundation's commitment to educating the next generation of clean energy leaders and empowering them to be problem-solvers and entrepreneurs from the earliest stages of their careers.

"As an applied physicist, being a Fellow has shown me how to contribute my technical skills with a policy-oriented approach. I learned how to approach research at the intersection of community-centered work and innovation, and I cannot wait to bring these skills into my career." — Kaiwan Bilal, University of Michigan, 2026 Clean Energy Fellow

"Being part of the Fellowship has helped me see how engineering and clean energy can create meaningful impact in communities. As a Computer Engineering student, the program has strengthened my professional development and given me a clearer sense of how I want to apply my technical skills." — Isaiah Harris, Tuskegee University, 2026 Clean Energy Fellow

The Foundation's initial funding was provided by Microsoft and anchored by Volt Energy Utility's Community Impact Power Purchase Agreement (CIPPA). A percentage of revenue generated by utility-scale solar projects developed by Volt Energy Utility and purchased by Microsoft is contributed to the Foundation. This model serves as the financial and strategic backbone of the Fellows Program through Microsoft and other Volt corporate partners. “We are honored to be part of the Fellows journey and deeply grateful to Microsoft and our new corporate partners for their commitment to developing tomorrow's clean energy leaders,” said Volt Energy Utility, CEO and the foundation’s chairman of the board Gilbert Campbell.

The Foundation is proud to recognize the following members of the 2026 Clean Energy Fellows Class:
• Abby Armstrong - West Virginia University
• Keeley Bernard - Western Michigan University
• Kaiwan Bilal - University of Michigan
• Fiifi Botchway - Cornell University
• Iman Burdine - San Francisco State University
• Skyler Carrillo - Tuskegee University
• Joseph Carter - Texas Southern University
• Quentin Clarke - North Carolina State University
• Camryn Cummings- Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University
• Giliad Dawite - Howard University
• Millena Desta - Ohio State University
• Tatiyana Haddock - Howard University
• Isaiah Harris - Tuskegee University
• Isaiah Hawkins - Prairie View Agricultural and Mechanical University
• Nancy Henry Naiho - Lehigh University
• Leslie Johnson - Morgan State University
• Austin King - Howard University
• Aryan Luitel - Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University
• Sulaiman Matthew Wilson - Howard University
• Ayomikun Oyeniyi - Talladega College
• Arianna Smith Forte' - Spelman College
• Paris Williamson - Xavier University

About Sharing the Power Foundation
Sharing the Power Foundation (www.sharingthepower.org) is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing equitable access to the benefits of the clean energy economy. The Foundation provides financial support to organizations and programs that build healthy, resilient communities in rural and urban settings nationwide — addressing workforce development, residential weatherization, utility bill assistance, access to clean water and air, and the inclusion of women-, minority-, and veteran-owned businesses in the clean energy sector. The Foundation is funded primarily through contributions generated by utility-scale solar projects developed by Volt Energy Utility, LLC and its corporate partners through Volt Energy Utility's Community Impact Power Purchase Agreement (CIPPA) — a first-of-its-kind financial structure designed to direct clean energy revenue toward communities most in need.

About Volt Energy Utility
Volt Energy Utility, LLC (www.voltenergyutility.com) is a national, minority-owned utility-scale solar development firm committed to ensuring that historically marginalized communities have equal access to the benefits of renewable energy and the opportunity to participate fully in the clean energy economy. Founded by Gilbert Campbell, Volt Energy Utility pioneered the Community Impact Power Purchase Agreement (CIPPA), a market-driven mechanism through which corporate clean energy procurement generates direct investment in environmental equity and workforce development programs.

Lauren Strickland
Sharing the Power Foundation
+1 240-778-8121
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