NSF awards Rowan Engineering $600,000 for scholarships

The National Science Foundation's Division of Undergraduate Education has awarded the College of Engineering at Rowan University a $600,000 grant to fund scholarships for incoming engineering students.

The "NSF Engineering Scholarships," also known as "S-STEM: Scholarships to Enhance the High-Tech Workforce of Southern New Jersey" will fund four-year scholarships for College of Engineering cohorts entering the program in Fall 2009 and Fall 2010. The scholarships, for students who meet specific financial criteria, will replace loans such as the Stafford, but will not replace grants or other scholarship awards.

In addition to covering tuition for scholarship recipients, the grant will be used to supplement tutoring services, create learning communities in which engineering students can interact and study together, facilitate mentoring opportunities and build outreach programs to high school seniors who have participated in past Rowan Engineering programs for middle and high school students.

"All students who are accepted into the College of Engineering will be considered for an NSF Engineering Scholarship," said Dr. Jess Everett, the civil and environmental engineering professor who is coordinating the scholarship program.

While the College of Engineering has received funding for many scholarships in the past, the $600,000 from the NSF is the largest such grant to date.

"NSF is building on our outstanding success with our ‘Engineering Clinics,' which provide students with hands-on experience. This funding will make it possible for more gifted students with financial need to study in our nationally recognized programs," said Dr. Dianne Dorland, dean of the College of Engineering.

Rowan is in the process of developing criteria for the scholarships. Information will be available in the future in the College of Engineering and Financial Aid sections of the Rowan website at www.rowan.edu.

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