The University of Memphis’ College of Engineering will award eligible undergraduates with new scholarships in fall 2002.
The National Science Foundation awarded The U of M $172,000 in scholarship money to be awarded to 25 recipients through a program titled, “A Scholarship Program for Computer Science, Engineering and Mathematics Students: An Industry-Academia Partnership Approach.” Scholarships will go to those students within two years of graduation.
David Russomanno, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering, is the grant’s principal investigator.
Russomanno said, “Students who are financially disadvantaged are the first group we are targeting, but we are also trying to address the nationwide shortage of women, minority and disabled students in the engineering field. We want to have a diverse group of scholarship recipients.”
Students involved in the program will receive $3,125 per semester for up to two years, provided they remain eligible.
Students must maintain a 2.6 GPA and be enrolled full-time to remain qualified.
The supplemental income should help students eliminate part-time jobs that distract them from their studies, according to Russomanno.
“We want to encourage students to make their studies their first priority by giving them the opportunity to focus on school, without swinging boxes at FedEx while taking courses in these demanding fields,” said Russomanno.
The scholarship will offer students the opportunity to participate in different workshops throughout the semester, as well as the opportunity to take advantage of paid summer internships with corporations such as Tennessee Valley Association and Pickering Firm of Memphis.
“Probably less than half of the applicants for the grant receive the money,” Russomanno said.
Russomanno wrote a proposal other prospective recipients reviewed with ideas concerning the use of the funds and The National Science Foundation awarded the grant to The U of M after a competitive process.
The scholarships will be awarded this summer for the fall semester. More information is available at www.ee.memphis.edu/csems/csems.html or students can call Dr. David Russomanno at 678-3253.
