Port employees have donated more than $1 million since programs began  

Oakland, Calif. – Port of Oakland employees will award 18 scholarships by this summer. The Port Employees’ Scholarship Program and the Asian Employees Association at the Port of Oakland (AEA) raised nearly $39,000 for high school seniors in May. The organizations have given out nearly $1.2 million to more than 500 students since their founding in the 1990s.

The scholarships are for high school seniors preparing for college or vocational training. They help fund post-secondary education for Oakland high school students and qualified children of Port employees.

“The Port Employees’ Scholarship Program was created to encourage our youth to extend their education beyond high school and contribute to the betterment of the Oakland community,” said Ramona Dixon, Chair of the Port Employees’ Scholarship Program Committee.

The top award granted by Port employees is $5,000. Edwin Burgos Perez from Coliseum College Prep Academy in Oakland is the recipient.

This is the 25th anniversary of the AEA scholarship program. “I’m grateful to my colleagues who understand first-hand the value of higher education and generously support our cause,” said AEA President Cheryl Ho.