CCA Cogeco Communications Inc

Breezeline, a leading internet, TV, phone and wireless service provider in the U.S., has awarded $10,000 in scholarships to three high school graduates of the Columbus City School District to help them achieve their academic goals.

The recipients of the scholarships are Lia McMillan of Columbus Alternative High School, Nasir Bladwin of Centennial High School, and Javeria Akhtar of Centennial High School.

“We are proud of the accomplishments of these students, who have excelled inside and outside the classroom,” said Dr. Angela Chapman, superintendent/CEO of Columbus City Schools.

Breezeline’s “Future of Technology” scholarship recognizes students who show outstanding achievement in and commitment to science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).

The scholarship application, which consisted of two essay questions, was open to recent graduates of Columbus City Schools, the state of Ohio's largest school district, which serves the needs of 47,000 students in 113 schools. The three winners were selected based on their passion for STEM education and plans for a future career in a STEM-related field.

“Breezeline is thrilled to award our Future of Technology scholarships to these accomplished students. Lia, Nasir, and Javeria exemplify hard work and determination. We know they will achieve great success in the years ahead,” said Nathan Robson, region director of operations for Breezeline.

Lia McMillan is an accomplished inventor who created a therapeutic bed to help dogs suffering from injuries, disabilities, or anxiety. Outside of school, Lia uses her talents to mentor young inventors statewide through the Ohio Invention League. She also works to fight food insecurity by volunteering with Food Rescue, an organization that develops community gardens. Lia plans to develop her own college major in product and service design for accessibility at Bowling Green State University. She hopes this intersection of art and science will help her approach design from a research and developmental perspective in addition to a creative and technical perspective.

Nasir Bladwin plans to major in computer science at Goshen College. Nasir is fascinated by artificial intelligence and machine learning and believes these rapidly evolving technologies have the potential to revolutionize the industry. By pursuing a degree in computer science, Nasir hopes to be at the forefront of innovation and to create technologies that improve lives. Nasir’s motto is “Be comfortable with being uncomfortable” and always pushes himself to try new things, as well as to persevere no matter what.

Javeria Akhtar plans to attend Otterbein University this fall, majoring in biology or biochemistry. Javeria is passionate about making a difference in the lives of those diagnosed with cardiovascular disease. She plans to attend medical school after earning her undergraduate degree.

Breezeline is committed to supporting students across Ohio. Earlier this year, it donated STEM learning kits to elementary schools in the Cleveland and Columbus areas. In addition, it provided digital literacy training to older adults in Columbus and Greater Cleveland.

To learn more about Breezeline’s commitment to its communities, please visit https://www.breezeline.com/community-involvement.

About Breezeline

Breezeline is the eighth-largest cable operator in the United States. The company provides its residential and business customers with Internet, TV, and Phone services in 13 states: Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia, as well as mobile service in most states in which it operates. Breezeline is a subsidiary of Cogeco Communications (TSX: CCA), which also operates in Canada, under the Cogeco Connexion name.

Media Contact

Katherine McCoidBreezelinekmccoid@breezeline.com