January 7, 2026

FirstEnergy’s Educate to Elevate program is celebrating six new graduates who earned college degrees in business.

What is Educate to Elevate?
Available to all employees, the program gives participants an opportunity to pursue their educational goals in business degree programs while continuing to work. When possible, employees take virtual coursework together as a unified student cohort, helping one another on the journey to earn associate or bachelor’s degrees.

Educate to Elevate also provides financial benefits, allowing students the ability to defer tuition payments and take advantage of the company’s tuition reimbursement policy.

Participating schools include: Alvernia University (Pa.); Owens Community College (Ohio); Stark State College (Ohio); The University of Akron (Ohio); Pierpont Community and Technical College (W.Va.) and Fairmont State University (W.Va.).

Success stories
Congratulations to these Educate to Elevate graduates who recently earned their degrees:

• Ali Young, Assistant Business Analyst, Energy Delivery Smart Meter, graduated in May from Alvernia with a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Management.
• Ginger Turner, Project Management Specialist, Customer Care Support, graduated in May from Fairmont State with a B.S. in Strategic Leadership. Prior to pursuing her baccalaureate degree, she also earned an associate degree at Pierpont through the Educate to Elevate program.
• Kristia Watkins, Associate Customer Quality Assurance Specialist, Customer Care Support, graduated in May from Pierpont with an Associate of Applied Science in Business Management.
• Sean Sell, Collector, Pennsylvania Revenue Operations, graduated in December from Alvernia with a B.S. in Management.
• Shauna Brewer and MaryBeth Payne, Supervisors, Customer Contact Center, graduated in December from Fairmont State with B.S. degrees in Strategic Leadership, after first earning their associate degrees through the program.

Learning together: A powerful testimonial
As the first employee to achieve an associate and a bachelor’s degree consecutively through her participation in the program, Ginger Turner is an enthusiastic advocate for Educate to Elevate, sharing the following testimonial:

“The program significantly eased my fear about returning to school by providing clear, step-by-step guidance that made the process feel manageable and well-supported. Going through this journey with a cohort of colleagues has been especially rewarding – the shared experience builds a strong sense of camaraderie and encouragement. If you’re thinking about furthering your education, I highly recommend taking advantage of this program. It’s a meaningful investment in both your personal and professional future.”