Partners PG&E, PG&E Foundation, UC Berkeley, and Mills College at Northeastern to Celebrate Graduates of Program Aimed at Closing Wealth Gap
On February 10, 2024, in Oakland, California, twenty-four high school students are set to be awarded $8,000 scholarships upon their graduation from the Economic Equity and Financial Education Program. This program, a comprehensive two-semester course in advanced financial education, is conducted at the Haas School of Business, University of California, Berkeley. It was established and is financially supported by Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) and The PG&E Corporation Foundation (PG&E Foundation).
This cohort represents the second group of students to successfully complete this demanding academic program, which admitted its inaugural cohort in the fall of 2022. Each student completing the program will receive a college scholarship as recognition of their achievement.
The Economic Equity and Financial Education Program was initially launched as a pilot initiative in the autumn of 2022 to tackle the issue of wealth inequality, with a specific focus on addressing the racial wealth gap impacting African Americans. Collaborating entities include PG&E, The PG&E Foundation, the University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley Executive Education, and Amenti Capital Group. The primary objective of this program is to equip African American high school students from Oakland and the Greater Bay Area with the necessary skills for future financial success and academic leadership. This initiative aligns with PG&E and The PG&E Foundation’s commitment to enhancing the well-being of individuals, the environment, and California’s overall prosperity, while ensuring an inclusive and secure future for all.
One of the program’s recent graduates is Erikah Washington, a 17-year-old senior from Bishop O’Dowd High School in Oakland, boasting a GPA of over 4.0. Expressing her gratitude for the program, Washington emphasized the newfound confidence she has gained, transforming her perception of finances from daunting to manageable. She highlighted the valuable knowledge she acquired through the program, which she believes will guide her towards making sound financial decisions in the future.
The genesis of this program dates back to two years of meticulous planning by PG&E, emerging as a response to the imperative of advancing racial justice following the tragic events surrounding George Floyd. The initiative aims to address the economic hurdles confronting African Americans. To this end, PG&E and The PG&E Foundation annually contribute over $500,000 in funding through their community charitable efforts to sustain the program. It is important to note that the funding for this program is derived from PG&E shareholders and not its customers. This initiative is one among several programs supported by PG&E and The PG&E Foundation, which provide assistance to individuals as they pursue their higher education aspirations.
The curriculum of the Economic Equity and Financial Education Program encompasses a range of courses delivered by professors from Berkeley Haas, including Panos Patatoukas and Sunil Dutta, alongside professionals from the financial industry. The subjects covered include personal finance, capital markets, wealth creation, financial data analysis, and investments. Furthermore, African American undergraduates from Haas actively mentor the high school participants.
The recruitment of student participants for the program was facilitated by Mills College at Northeastern University TRIO Programs, as part of the Upward Bound program and the Mills Educational Talent Search. These programs are designed to support underserved high school students and those who are the first in their families to pursue higher education, aiding them in achieving academic success.
The program’s curriculum was developed collaboratively with Panos Patatoukas and Jason Miles, an African American venture capitalist with extensive experience in the financial services sector, boasting over 25 years of involvement and the founder of Amenti Capital Group.
The program’s overarching goal is to equip high school students with the necessary tools for wealth creation through an advanced financial education curriculum, supplemented by scholarships funded by PG&E to support their post-secondary education endeavors. It is envisioned that this program will serve as a blueprint for future high school education curricula.
About PG&E: Pacific Gas and Electric Company, a subsidiary of PG&E Corporation (NYSE: ), is a combined natural gas and electric utility serving more than 16 million people across 70,000 square miles in Northern and Central California. For more information, visit and
About The PG&E Corporation Foundation: The PG&E Corporation Foundation is an independent 501©(3) nonprofit organization, separate from PG&E and sponsored by PG&E Corporation.
About the Haas School of Business, University of California, Berkeley: Berkeley Haas, the second-oldest business school in the United States, challenges the status quo since its establishment in 1898. The school provides exceptional management education to approximately 2,500 undergraduate and graduate students from around the globe, offering six degree-granting programs and fostering a network of 41,000 alumni worldwide.
About Berkeley Executive Education: UC Berkeley Executive Education caters to leaders and organizations aspiring to redefine the future of business, delivering over 150 programs annually to a global audience. Led by distinguished UC Berkeley faculty, these immersive learning experiences equip global executives and organizations with the vision and capabilities to thrive in an evolving world.
About Northeastern University: Established in 1898, Northeastern is a global research university renowned for its experiential lifelong learning approach. The university’s experiential methodology empowers students, faculty, alumni, and partners to make a significant impact beyond disciplinary boundaries, degrees, and campuses.
Northeastern offers a comprehensive range of undergraduate and graduate programs, both on-campus and in hybrid formats, leading to degrees up to the doctorate level across nine colleges and schools. With more than 140 multi-discipline majors and degrees, Northeastern prepares students for purposeful lives and careers.
About Amenti Capital Group: Amenti Capital Group is an emerging merchant bank offering independent advisory services and venture capital to early-stage technology companies within high-growth ecosystems. Leveraging profound industry knowledge, operational expertise, and enduring relationships, Amenti Capital Group delivers attractive returns through its end-to-end model. The organization caters to entrepreneurs and sophisticated investors, guided by its core principles of innovation, integrity, and inclusion.
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SOURCE Pacific Gas and Electric Company