Uber Tuition Assistance

Helps Local Resident, Commanders Host Clinic

By Richard Elliott WI Contributing Reporter

UBER OFFERS TUITION ASSISTANCE FOR DRIVERS, FAMILIES

The rideshare company Uber has launched a partnership with Arizona State University to grant drivers and their families the opportunity to attend the university tuition free. 650 graduates were surprised on May 8 to know that they and their loved ones qualified for the tuition assistance.

One of those who qualified was Prince George’s County resident Shaunice Aikoo.

Shaunice Aikoo’s husband drives with Uber as he wanted to leave his career as a surgical technician and try something different. At the time he began driving, Shaunice was a stay-athome mom and had been out of the workforce for 10 years. Shaunice had always had plans to go back and get her degree, and had looked into ASU before knowing that Uber offered benefits to drivers and their families.

“Having Uber’s tuition assistance gave me a chance to finish college at an innovative and top-ranked school,” said Shaunice. “The desire to finish school has never subsided in my heart since I dropped out over 20 years ago. But in reality, I could not afford it, and accruing debt was not an option for

The search committee, selected by the governor and superintendent of Education, included Brigadier General Warner Sumpter, retired educator Aretha Bridgewater-Simms and former Hyattsville Mayor Candace Hollingsworth. Courageous, collaborative and communicative were some of the main traits sought by educators in the next CEO.

House II will be replacing Dr. Monica Goldson, a 32-year veteran of PGCPS who was first ap - me. So, I prayed to God, throughout the years for another opportunity to attend school for free and allow me to finish what I started. Unbeknownst to me that God would use an unlikely situation to answer my prayers - my husband began working for Uber in 2017. Uber was my answer from God.” Shaunice graduated from ASU with a BA in Organizational Leadership Project Management, and she is now working as a human resource specialist.

In order to be eligible, drivers must complete over 2,000 hours on the app. This is the seventh graduation year since the program began in 2018.

Commanders Host Flag Football Clinic

On May 20, the Washington Commanders hosted the first ever Flag Football Clinic presented by OrthoVirginia at the newly-named OrthoVirginia Training Center at Commanders Park in partnership with RCX Sports and the Loudoun pointed to CEO in 2019.

“My parents were educators who taught for 30 plus years in Tulsa Public Schools. I’m very indebted to the support I’ve had from my family,” he said at the press conference to announce his selection. “Why Prince George’s County? It came down to a conversation with Goldson. She indicated she was leaving to retire. It was also established that I was leaving Houston, and it became crystal clear I would make an attempt at this opportunity.”

County NFL FLAG Football League

OrthoVirginia physicians, youth flag football players, Washington Commanders coaches, legends, and current players including Pro Bowl Safety Jeremy Reaves and first-round draft pick Emmanuel Forbes were in attendance for a day of skills development and training for upcoming athletes.

This event was the first in-person event since the team announced its major partnership and naming rights agreement with OrthoVirginia, Official Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Partner of the Washington Commanders. Inside the Commanders’ practice bubble, over 200 local youth flag football players participated in skills and drills training with assistance from players from John R. Lewis High School’s Varsity Football Team. Over the course of the day, OrthoVirginia professionals led demonstrations on topics such as injury prevention and proper warm-up routines prior to exercise.

“We are so proud to partner with

Goldson reflected on her more than three decades with PGCPS.

“My career has taken me to heights I never dreamed possible when I walked across the stage in 1986 as a Potomac High School graduate,” Goldson wrote in a January letter announcing her intention to retire. “The children of this community are among the brightest and most innovative in the country. It has been an absolute honor to lead over 131,000 students in the place I call home.”

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OrthoVirginia to bring together young athletes, sports medicine professionals, and Commanders players and coaches,” said Jason Wright, Washington Commanders Team president. “I am thrilled that the Commanders community was able to join forces with the region’s top orthopedic professionals to provide a fun and educational day for young players here at the OrthoVirginia Training Center at Commanders Park.”

“Whether you are playing in the National Football League or a youth flag football league, it’s crucial that athletes learn how to prevent injuries and stay healthy,” said Dr. David Jevsevar, OrthoVirginia CEO. “OrthoVirginia and the Washington Commanders share a commitment to making an impact in the community, and today’s event underscored the exciting components of our partnership.”

The Commanders are amid a sale process for a record-setting $6 billion, the most ever for a North American sports franchise.

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