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RapidScale Funds IT Scholarship

A scholarship fund established by cloud services provider RapidScale will support students in several IT programs at Wake Tech. (Court Johnson/Wake Tech)

RALEIGH, N.C. (July 10, 2025) – Wake Tech is proud to announce an important new scholarship, courtesy of RapidScale, a Cox Business company and a leading provider of hybrid managed cloud services.

The company has established the RapidScale Technology Scholarship to support students enrolled in the college's high-demand information technology degree programs, including IT Service & Support, Cybersecurity, Cloud Infrastructure and Computer Programming & Development. These programs align closely with RapidScale's hiring needs and reflect the company's commitment to cultivating a diverse, job-ready talent pipeline in the Triangle.

The fully endowed scholarship will be awarded for the first time next year. The scholarship is part of a broader $60,000 investment to support workforce development and innovation in the Raleigh-Durham region.

"We're excited to deepen our partnership with Wake Tech and invest in the next generation of technology professionals," said Duane Barnes, president at RapidScale. "By partnering with Wake Tech, we're helping students gain the skills and opportunities they need to thrive in our fast-moving industry and ensuring our teams are strengthened by fresh, diverse talent."

In addition to the scholarship, RapidScale will become the presenting sponsor of a new lab at the RTP Campus, which will be named the RapidScale Innovation Lab. The lab will include opportunities to extend curriculum in technologies used specifically by industry partners. There are also plans for a makerspace for students and faculty to explore emerging technologies.

The 15-year sponsorship includes branding, speaking opportunities and input into the lab's design, further positioning RapidScale as a technology leader on campus and in the community.

"Partnering with industry leaders like RapidScale plays a vital role in helping us deliver high-quality, relevant education to Wake Tech students," said Wake Tech Information Technology Division Dean Cindy Luttrell. "Through this collaboration, we're able to offer innovative, hands-on learning experiences in the Innovation Lab and create clear pathways to career opportunities."

This strategic partnership is expected to accelerate hiring, reduce recruitment costs and support scalable growth for RapidScale, with a target of five to 10 new hires from Wake Tech in 2026 and the potential to double that number as the company expands.

To learn more about RapidScale, visit www.rapidscale.net.

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June 2025

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