Dozens of engineering students receive ASME Foundation money

Maxine Rosen
ASME Operations

Through the ASME Foundation, $84,500 in awards was distributed to 45 engineering students in the foundation's most recent scholarship cycle.

The ASME Board on Education Scholarship Selection Committee, headed by Robert Fox, had the difficult task of choosing recipients from a record number of 423 applicants. The median grade point average of the undergraduate recipients was 3.9.

But, their histories, too, provide compelling evidence of just how deserving these students are. Shawn Miloian, a senior at Kettering University, has been on the Dean's List every semester, despite being a father who spends as much time as he can with his family.

Miloian already uses his engineering skills to great advantage at the church where he is youth group director and at the caregivers group where he helps the elderly in the community.

He was awarded the Kenneth Andrew Roe Scholarship of $10,000.

Ryan Bockbrader,of Ohio State University, and Jessica Benson, of Ohio University, each received a $3,500 Melvin R. Green Scholarship. Benson is pursuing mechanical engineering activities that merge solid state physics, bioengineering, and solar energy production. She has designed a challenging and interesting course of study and proved her competence in the experimental biophysics lab she helped set up.

"It has always been my dream to choose a profession that would allow me to give back to society," Benson said. "And by becoming involved in ASME, I am now certain I will be able to realize my dream."

Garland Duncan Scholarships of $3,500 each were awarded to Jared Peterson, California Maritime Academy, and Emily Snyder, Cedarville University.

William and Marijane Adams, Jr., established the very first Foundation scholarship. Their interest in the management of the fund and in the recipients is a source of continuing affirmation for the Foundation and students alike.

The recipient of the $2,000 Adams Scholarship is Anthony DeFont, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, who is active in a number of engineering societies.

DeFont designed, tested and built a stent crimping device for a vascular devices company internship for his senior project. Under his leadership of the ASME student section, the number and quality of tours, speakers, and other events have been exemplary.

DeFont, who is financing his education on his own, said, "If it weren't for financial aid and awards such as the Adams Scholarship, I wouldn't have the opportunity to attend college and better my life. College has provided me with an opportunity for personal growth and a means to improve and control my future."

Kristyn Jackson, University of Texa-Austin, received the $2,000 F. W. "Beich" Beichley Scholarship.

Jessica Hollis, Michigan State University, and Shawn O'Connor, Georgia Tech, were awarded Frank William and Dorothy Given Miller ASME Auxiliary Scholarships of $1,500 each.

As treasurer of the ASME student section, Hollis attends the weekly officers meeting, and represents ASME at such activities as Science, Engineering and Technology Day, when high school students interested in engineering visit the campus. The automobile industry has played a big part in her life and she is considering a career in crash testing, safety or testing and design of automobile systems.

The 2003 Bruce J. Heim Scholar is Peter Jeziorek, University of California, Los Angeles. He received a $1,500 award for graduate studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The award is given to promote the exploration of space and it is Peter's desire to lead in satellite technology, which stems from his love of science. "What drew me to mechanical engineering, was realizing its applicability," he said, "how the synthesis of many cutting-edge technologies would benefit humanity."

There were 11 John & Elsa Gracik Scholarship awards of $1,500 presented to James Anthony, University of Hartford; Justin Ferguson, Illinois Institute of Technology; Timothy Hinerman, Colorado State University; Gregory Imbrogno, Geneva College; Neal Koenig, Michigan State University; Mary Larson, Iowa State University; John Shust, Drexel University; Samantha Steinberg, University of Illinois at Chicago; Gregory Wilson, University of Toledo; Bradley Woodcox, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology; and Melissa Workman, George Fox University.

The ASME Foundation Member-Get-a-Member Scholarship provided eight awards of $1,500 each to Lauren Fincher, Baylor University; Jason Hamilton, Florida International University; Joan Morrison, University of California, Irvine; Okechukwu Ofili, University of Houston; Matthew Ooms, Calvin College; Vi Rapp, University of Utah; Sidarth Rupani, Worcester Polytechnic Institute; and Jack Zausner, University of Wisconsin-Madison.

There were 15 ASME Foundation Scholarship awards of $1,500 each given to Jeremiah Bartz, University of North Dakota; Justin Crapps, Mississippi State University; Ashley Erickson, University of Alabama; Aaron Fields, University of Denver; Kevin Frump, Valparaiso University; Stephen Klick, Boise State University; Stephen Lynch, University of Wyoming; Matthew Mickelson, George Fox University; Leslie Oley, Pennsylvania State University; Scott Pruett, Bakersfield College; Erin Ralph, University of Wisconsin - Platteville; Joshua Root, Cedarville University; Rahul Sathe, University of Michigan; Harold Thompson III, Mississippi State University; and James Wilde, Michigan State University.

Paul Witinski, University of Rochester, received the Robert F. Sammataro Pressure Vessel Piping Division Memorial Scholarship of $1,000. He returned to college after serving in the U.S. Navy for six years, and credits that experience with preparing him to be a leader in engineering in a way that a more traditional path could not.

The Clarke Scholarship is a separate program awarded jointly by the ASME Foundation and ASME Auxiliary and administered by the Clarke Scholarship Committee, which includes members of the ASME Board on Education.

For more information on this scholarship program and the recent recipients, see the Auxiliary Column in this issue.

In separate programs, the Foundation has also funded the ASME FIRST Scholarship and graduate teaching fellowships. In all, the Foundation awarded $175,500 in scholarships for 2003, made possible by generous support from donors.

More information on scholarships can be found at www.foundation.asme.org and www.asme.org/education/enged/aid.

 

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