Song Vang, a fifth-year undergraduate student majoring in deaf education and linguistics at Fresno State, got the kind of news that made getting up early in the morning completely worthwhile.

Vang, who is participating in a 10-week study-abroad program in China this summer, was invited to converse via Skype with some folks at Fresno State at 1 p.m. (PDT) Friday, June 1, in Fresno. She agreed, even though it meant being online at 4 a.m. Saturday, June 2, in China.

All the technology worked perfectly as she sat at a desk in her apartment and learned that she is the recipient of a $30,000 scholarship – one of 10 awarded in Pacific Gas and Electric Co.’s (NYSE: PCG) Northern and Central California service area.

The PG&E representatives in a Henry Madden Library conference room on campus held up an oversized check to the laptop computer camera so she could see it and Vang repeatedly expressed her surprise and appreciation for the financial help.

The scholarship is awarded as part of the utility company’s $1 million Bright Minds Scholarship Program, which helps high school, community college and “non-traditional” students (in their fourth, fifth or sixth year) achieve their higher-education goals and get a degree.

More than 8,000 applications were received for the scholarship program, PG&E reports. The 10 winners were chosen from among more than 90 finalists, who will receive $2,500 towards their college costs.

Dan Kimball, Fresno State’s director of corporate and foundation relations, told Vang that a reception will be planned upon her return to honor her and other university students who were finalists in the PG&E scholarship program.

For more information, visit www.pge.com/brightminds or www.pgecurrents.com.