March 24, 2021 – The Northern Virginia Community College Educational Foundation and the NOVA Financial Aid Office, in partnership with Equinix, the world’s largest digital infrastructure company™, are pleased to announce the ‘Equinix Digital Infrastructure Scholarship’ program.
“The data center industry is growing rapidly, and with that comes a high demand for skilled talent. We are excited to work with Northern Virginia Community College to provide an early career path to inspire the next generation of data center professionals on building the world’s digital infrastructure at Equinix,” said Chris Kimm, Equinix SVP of Americas IBX Operations.
The goal of the Equinix Digital Infrastructure Scholarship is to provide the framework needed for students to enter the growing data center industry through NOVA’s Engineering Technology Career Studies Certificate Programs. Equinix will support five students to come to NOVA with scholarships of $5,000 each. Successful candidates are enthusiastic, dedicated individuals who are passionate about making a difference in the workforce by harnessing the power of technology.
“In the Northern Virginia region, we have seen great employment spikes in this sector, and it is gratifying to be able to offer students a paid and direct pathway into this important field,” said Kelly Persons, executive director of the NOVA Foundation.
In addition to the financial benefit, eligible candidates will also have the opportunity to register for available mentorships and paid internship opportunities at Equinix. The application period opens March 24th for graduating high school seniors interested in entering the NOVA Engineering Technology program. The scholarship will be awarded in May 2021 and will be applied to the Fall 2021 and Spring or Summer 2022 semesters.
“Students should be encouraged that a high-profile, global company like Equinix is investing so heavily in their education,” said Dr. Chad Knights, provost of information and engineering technologies at NOVA. “This is a fantastic opportunity for our students to enter a field that not only represents a great career path but helps to fill a critical workforce opportunity in our region.”
“NOVA has been a tremendous partner in providing data center businesses with access to an educated, well-trained and diverse data center workforce to help drive and grow the industry,” said Josh Levi from the Data Center Coalition. “The Equinix Digital Infrastructure Scholarship is an innovative approach in connecting graduating high school students with a career path by coupling a financial scholarship with opportunities for mentoring and paid internships at the worksite. This collaborative partnership hopes to grow the workforce that powers the overall data center ecosystem in addition to the benefits and impact provided to individual students, NVCC and committed business partners like Equinix.”
The Equinix Digital Infrastructure Scholarship and many others, are listed on NOVA’s scholarship website at https://nvcc.academicworks.com/ - and the college encourages interested students to apply.
Equinix Contact: Phebe Shi |pshi@equinix.com
Media Contact: Hoang Nguyen | hdnguyen@nvcc.edu
Program Contact: Jack Bidlack|jbidlack@nvcc.edu
Equinix is the world’s digital infrastructure company. Digital leaders harness our trusted platform to bring together and interconnect the foundational infrastructure that powers their success. We enable our customers to access all the right places, partners and possibilities they need to accelerate advantage. In the United States, Equinix operates data centers in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, Seattle, Silicon Valley and Washington D.C.
Founded in 1979, the NOVA Foundation is dedicated to supporting Northern Virginia Community College’s goal of providing all students with a high-quality, life-changing education. The NOVA Foundation, through its donors, funds more than 300 scholarships, emergency aid grants and a range of academic programs and student services throughout the College's six campuses and NOVA Online. By connecting donors to NOVA programs, the Foundation raises funds, increases visibility and strengthens partnerships among the College, individual donors, businesses and state and local communities. Additional information about the NOVA Foundation can be found at: https://giving.nvcc.edu.