HOUSTON, Jan. 2, 2018 – alliantgroup is proud to announce that James Morales and Shahar Pedahzur from the University of Texas, Joshua Ramirez from the University of Texas at San Antonio, and Nathan DeVera and Alexandria Hancock from Southern Methodist University have been named the winners of the firm’s STEM scholarship program for 2017. The five $10,000 scholarships awarded through the program were granted to recent high school students from the State of Texas that aim to pursue a career in STEM related fields. The winners were honored during a formal ceremony, with each recipient in attendance presented with a $10,000 check from alliantgroup CEO Dhaval Jadav.
“It gives me great pride to congratulate this year’s scholarship award winners,” said Jadav. “It is my personal belief that every child should have the opportunity to learn about software, technology, engineering and mathematics—the very foundations of our emerging technology based economy. These are the fields where massive investments in research and development are taking place that will ultimately create a more dynamic economy and propel our country into economic prosperity for generations to come.”
The firm’s statewide scholarship program ties into a number of other corporate philanthropy initiatives recently rolled out by alliantgroup in support of STEM-based education. As technology becomes even more a part of the very fabric of our offices and facilities, developing a strong STEM skillset will be vital for the next generation of students in improving their career prospects in the emerging tech economy. As a result, alliantgroup has made the promotion of STEM education the primary focus of many of its philanthropic initiatives.
In addition to the rollout of the statewide scholarship program earlier this year, the firm recently launched the Blue Heart Fund, alliantgroup’s non-profit charity originally created in the wake of Hurricane Harvey relief efforts. Since then, the fund has been expanded to help promote exposure to STEM education and careers in our universities, public schools and local communities. Through the fund, alliantgroup has been reaching out to school districts across Houston to ensure students are exposed to STEM at a young age, even going so far as to take students from a local elementary school to the Houston Museum of Natural Science. In addition to promoting STEM education in K-12 schools, the firm recently announced that it would be handing out 20 $10,000 scholarships to the children of alliantgroup’s CPA and industry partners interested in pursuing a career in STEM.
“These charitable endeavors are just the tip of the iceberg for what we have in store when it comes to promoting STEM and in ensuring that every child, no matter their background or what area code they were born in, can pursue their dreams to the fullest,” said Jadav. “STEM is truly the future of our country and can offer a pathway to a better life for many Americans. That’s why my passion for STEM burns so bright—its potential to improve the lives of people through the innovations it creates and the economic opportunities it can provide for all Americans.”
Along with alliantgroup’s individual outreach initiatives, the firm has also worked hand-in-hand with industry alliance heads in promoting awareness of STEM-based careers. The firm has partnered with organizations such as NSCA and PMPA to spread the word on the value of STEM jobs and in promoting awareness of technical careers in fields such as manufacturing and system integration. The idea is to expose students to options they may have never considered and to provide alternatives to a standard four year degree that can lead to an engaging and high-paying career.
“Every major economic evolution and revolution in the modern era has been powered by some type of technological advancement, from the automotive industry in the 80s to Silicon Valley during the 90s, and each was ultimately driven by professionals whose core training came from STEM,” said Jadav. “In order to ensure the success of our economy and country, we must continue to invest in the STEM education of our youth in America.”
alliantgroup is a leading tax consultancy and the nation’s premier provider of specialty tax services. The firm assists U.S. businesses and their CPA advisors in properly identifying and claiming all federal and state tax incentives that were designed for their benefit. These incentive programs were created to help American businesses grow and remain competitive in an increasingly global economy. To date, alliantgroup has helped 12,000 U.S. businesses claim over $6 billion in tax savings.