STAMFORD, Conn.—Charter Communications’ Spectrum brand has announced that it is now accepting applications for Spectrum Scholars, the cable operator’s annual scholarship and professional development program for college students with financial need.
Charter has awarded more than $1.5 million in scholarships through Spectrum Scholars since 2020.
Each of the 15 students selected for the 2025-2026 class, the fifth class of Spectrum Scholars, will receive a $20,000 scholarship to be distributed between their junior and senior years. They’ll also participate in a two-year professional development program in which they will be paired with a Spectrum employee mentor and complete a paid internship with the cable operator, which was recently recognized by RippleMatch’s Campus Forward Awards for excellence in internship programming.
“Spectrum Scholars is more than just a scholarship program; it's a pathway to career success,” said Paul Marchand, executive vice president, chief human resources officer at Charter “From getting paired with an employee mentor to a paid internship with Spectrum, this comprehensive program offers real-world learning experiences, professional development and unique opportunities for career exploration.”
More specifically, Spectrum said that throughout the two-year program, the Scholars meet with their mentors to discuss their professional goals, tackle challenges and identify potential career opportunities. Students also take part in a paid 10-week internship at one of Spectrum’s corporate offices in Stamford, Charlotte, St. Louis, Denver or Austin. For some participants, these internships lead to postgraduation employment with the cable MSO.
Sarah Velez, for example, entered the Spectrum Scholars program in 2022 and joined the company as a marketing operations analyst intern at its Stamford headquarters in the summer of 2023. Throughout her internship, she focused on building a network within the company, meeting with various marketing teams to understand their roles and establish relationships. Upon graduating from the University of Connecticut last May, Velez accepted a full-time position with Spectrum as a marketing associate.
More information about how to apply for the fifth class of Spectrum Scholars, as well as program eligibility and selection criteria, is available here. The deadline for applications is April 4 and winners will be announced in the summer.
