POSCO Cheongam Foundation Selects POSCO Vision Scholars for 2021

[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Yoon-joo] POSCO Cheongam Foundation announced on the 26th that it has selected 50 students as the '2021 (16th) POSCO Vision Scholars.' The selected candidates are students from the Pohang and Gwangyang regions who possess upright character and a clear determination to study, and are expected to enter university in the current year.

The 2021 POSCO Vision Scholars were recruited throughout January via the POSCO Cheongam Foundation website. The foundation formed a scholarship review committee to conduct document screening and interviews, ultimately selecting 50 students. The selected scholars will receive an annual scholarship of 3.6 million KRW for up to 8 semesters during their university enrollment.

The POSCO Vision Scholarship program aims to nurture talent and address educational opportunity disparities by providing equal educational opportunities to students from challenging environments. It seeks to practice corporate citizenship that develops together with local communities and contribute to resolving the most significant issue in our society, polarization.

The program has also provided opportunities to out-of-school youth who challenge university entrance through the qualification exam and adult learners who enter university late due to financial difficulties. Among the 16th POSCO Vision Scholars this year are students from diverse backgrounds, including a student from a large family with 10 siblings and a student from a multicultural family who was born overseas and immigrated to Korea.

Since implementing the POSCO Vision Scholarship program in 2006, POSCO Cheongam Foundation has produced a total of 437 scholars to date. Since its predecessor, the Steel Scholarship Association, began awarding scholarships to high school students in the Pohang and Gwangyang regions in 1989, the program has expanded scholarships to local universities, middle schools, and sports talent students. After the launch of the Cheongam Foundation in 2005, it has provided scholarships to a total of 2,524 recipients through programs including POSCO Vision Scholarship, POSCO Star Scholarship, and scholarships for children with disabilities.

For the Vision Scholars selected this year, POSCO Cheongam Foundation plans to strengthen community activities and growth support among scholars through regional meetings, employment mentoring, and volunteer activities, in addition to simply providing scholarships.