SOLV Energy, a nationwide renewable energy solutions provider, is accepting applications for the PowerUp! Renewable Energy Scholarship. The scholarship, now in its third year, will award $1,500 to six U.S. high school seniors. To be considered, students are asked to demonstrate their passion for sustainability and share how they will apply their future education in a career related to clean energy.

SOLV Energy engages with project partners, local leaders, school districts, and landowners to expand access to reliable, clean energy resources and STEAM learning opportunities for K-12 students. SOLV Energy will collaborate with industry professionals from Arevon, Groundwork Renewables, and Nextracker to review 2025 PowerUp! Scholarship applications and select awardees.

“As our industry grows, it’s critical to highlight the diversity of careers within renewable industries, and this year’s panel of PowerUp! judges reflects the range of opportunities available in clean energy,” said George Hershman, CEO of SOLV Energy. “We are excited to offer the PowerUp! Scholarship for a third year and look forward to hearing from the next generation of leaders.”

SOLV Energy will reserve one of the 2025 scholarships for an Indigenous high school senior to continue advocating for the greater representation and visibility of Native communities. 

Applications will be accepted between January 16, 2025 and May 16, 2025. The scholarship program is based on the following criteria:

• minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0
• letter of enrollment to a trade school, community college or 4-year university for the fall of 2025
• official transcript copy
• two letters of recommendation
• personal essay
• Certificate of Indian Birth (if applicable)

Full eligibility requirements and submission instructions can be found here. 

Meet the Judges

Bobbie Dickerson | Assistant Project Manager, SOLV Energy

With an A.A.S in Instrumentation and a Certificate in Project Management Professional (PMP), Bobbie became part of the SOLV family in July 2024 and currently works as an Assistant Project Manager on an EPC project in Texas.

• There’s no penalty for showing up early, only showing up late.
• Always be teachable.
• Never stay in the same position more than five years.

Tessa Swift | IT Training Manager, SOLV Energy

Tessa earned her degree in biology and has worked at SOLV Energy for two years. As the IT Training Manager, Tessa implements programs that keep our digital space safe and organized. She shared that the advice "always grow faster than your company does" has allowed her to stay in front of and be prepared for growth and change.

Matthew Wheeler | Project Engineer, SOLV Energy

Matthew’s educational background in Mechanical and Electrical Engineering led him to his current position as a Project Engineer at SOLV Energy. He joined the solar industry after graduation, building his skills working on off-grid, residential and commercial projects in four different states in seven years. The best career advice he's received is “Focus on the goal and not the individual job.”

Bronson Bass | People Operations Generalist, SOLV Energy

Bronson uses his education in Human Resources Management and Leadership and Management as a People Operations Generalist at SOLV Energy. Bronson is a Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM) Certified Professional with a Workplace Investigations Specialty Credential. One piece of advice he received for his career, is to “Embrace change and stay curious! Feedback is a gift.” He noted: “Life throws us constant challenges, lean in and never stop growing.”

Kelsey Noll | Community Relations Analyst, Arevon

Kelsey is a Northern Arizona University alumna with a degree in History. Now working as a Community Relations Analyst at Arevon for almost two years, the best advice she received is to “Ask questions and build relationships. You never know when a colleague can become a reference or a mentor to guide you to your next opportunity.”

Rachel Chandler | PE Structural Engineer, Nextracker

With a B.S. and M.S. in Architectural Engineering from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Rachel became part of Nextracker’s Project Engineering team as a PE Structural Engineer over a year ago. For a few years in college, Rachel worked at Disneyland and learned to balance swords on her nose! One of her life goals is to visit every national park in the United States. The best advice Rachel received for her career is to “Be a problem solver and don’t be afraid to be confident in your abilities.” 

Julie Chard | Director of Data & Analytics, GroundWork Renewables, Inc.

Julie is Director of Data & Analytics at GroundWork Renewables, Inc. With over ten years in the solar industry, she is well-versed in solar-meteorological (MET) system instrumentation and configuration. She regularly presents at and participates in specialized conferences to set solar industry standards and best practices for achieving the lowest uncertainty data sets. Providing oversight of the knowledgeable and meticulous GroundWatch Data Program team, Julie keenly focuses on ensuring that the industry-leading data sets generated by GroundWork equipment and services meet or exceed the expectations of their clients and independent engineers. Prior to joining GroundWork, her professional pursuits ranged from bench-scale laboratory research to field-scale implementation of engineered remediation solutions. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Science and a Master of Science in Plant Science.