In the past five years, students in the College of Engineering have received scholarship funding totaling nearly $4 million, including close to $900,000 for academic year 2020-2021. A combination of donor-funded and institutional scholarships, these awards are designed to help students from every background. Eligibility criteria vary and include both financial need-based and merit-based scholarships, as well as scholarships dedicated to engineering students specializing in certain majors or subfields.

Julia McMillin, Differential Fee and Scholarship Programs Coordinator for the College of Engineering, said, “Scholarship aid exists for all financial levels, and for students in all different academic situations and disciplines.”

With average awards of $2,500, scholarships can have a tremendous impact on the lives of engineering students. For graduate student Reza Boushehri, the financial support is only part of the story: “Scholarships not only helped reduce the financial burden placed on me to pursue my education, but the feeling that your hard work is appreciated by other people is really inspiring. I would like to express my gratitude toward the College of Engineering, especially Mrs. McMillin, for all of their help and support. Your support will help students to focus on their studies, research and extracurricular activities and spend less time worrying about finances.”

Boushehri’s opportunity to focus on his studies has allowed him to publish ten articles in the past year, while holding a GPA of 4.0.

By helping students succeed during their academic careers, scholarship support also prepares students to excel upon graduation. Kaylie Greathouse joined the College of Engineering from her hometown in Folsom, Calif., and after receiving her M.S. in civil engineering with an emphasis in structural and earthquake engineering in May 2021, she was offered a position at Dokken Engineering as an assistant engineer working on bridge design with the structures team.

After graduating and receiving a job offer, Greathouse eached out to the College to share her gratitude for the scholarship support she received: “My parents and I cannot express how thankful we are to have the College of Engineering help offset the cost of college each year through these scholarships. Much appreciated!”

Because many of the College’s scholarships are sponsored by industry partners, earning a scholarship can be an opportunity to meet potential future employers. McMillin said, “Because they are proud of the success of the students on their scholarships, donors and representatives from sponsoring corporations often reach out to meet their ONLINE scholarship recipients. This is a foot in the door in the field you’re studying. And a direct  with an employer.” 

"The application takes about an hour to complete, but our average scholarship is $2,500. How often do you have a chance to earn $2,500 for an hour of your time?"

For those who are worried about the amount of work that will go into applying for scholarships, McMillin said, “Students need to realize, they cannot receive scholarship help or aid unless they apply. The application process is simple, but it takes some time and planning. The application takes about an hour to complete, but our average scholarship is $2,500. How often do you have a chance to earn $2,500 for an hour of your time?”