LARAMIE, Wyo. — Students at the University of Wyoming who began fall classes just a few weeks ago will benefit from $34,000 awarded to the university by the PacifiCorp Foundation for Learning, the charitable arm of Pacific Power. The funding provides scholarships for entering freshmen, and will help support a variety of education and research programs.

“Support from the PacifiCorp Foundation’s Pacific Power fund will help strengthen strategic learning initiatives, providing practical learning experiences and career-building opportunities for students in Laramie and throughout the state of Wyoming. Equally important, this gift will give freshmen access to experiences and opportunities at UW that they could get nowhere else,” said University of Wyoming President Tom Buchanan.

The infusion of PacifiCorp Foundation funding provides $12,000 in scholarships for freshmen students; $4,000 for the College of Engineering’s Senior Design Symposium; $4,000 for the Ruckelshaus Institute and Haub School of Environment & Natural Resources; $4,000 for the University of Wyoming Art Museum; $4,000 for the University of Wyoming/Casper College Center; $4,000 for statewide Early Childhood Literacy activities; and $2,000 for the university’s Center for Volunteer Service.

The grants are part of more than $300,000 awarded by the PacifiCorp Foundation in June 2005, for learning initiatives across the electric utility’s six-state service area. The Foundation awards four cycles of grants annually in the areas of education, health and welfare, community and the arts.

“We are pleased to continue our support of the University of Wyoming in its efforts to provide students with the best education experience possible,” said Bob Tarantola, Pacific Power Vice President for Wyoming. “We believe it’s important to make a difference in the communities we serve beyond our primary mission of providing safe and reliable electricity to our customers. Supporting education initiatives such as these is one of the best things we can do to invest in the future of Wyoming students and communities.”

Since its establishment in 1988, the PacifiCorp Foundation has awarded more than 6,500 grants totaling more than $38.4 million to communities served by Pacific Power, Utah Power and PacifiCorp. For additional information, visit www.pacificorpfoundation.org .