Funding drive established to set up engineering grants.
In recent years, many in the engineering community have expressed interest in establishing scholarships at the ASME Foundation. However, the resources required to establish an individual scholarship are great. In addition, given the cost of tuition today, setting up a scholarship for US$500 or even US$1,000 does not give any meaningful financial relief to a student.
Numerous research studies about the future of the workplace and the educational and professional skills necessary to succeed in the technology-driven world have all demonstrated the critical importance of proficiency in science, technology, engineering and mathematics-related fields. In this competitive environment, students of mechanical engineering and related subject fields not only must stay on top of current developments, but also be professionally competent to develop solutions that are technologically innovative feats of engineering.
In response to what the organization heard from many of its members, combined with the needs for encouraging the study of mechanical engineering and helping facilitate the journey of student members of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) into the world of emerging engineering challenges, the ASME Foundation has launched an initiative to establish a Standards and Certification (S&C) pooled scholarship fund.
The scholarship has been created to memorialize volunteers and staff members who have devoted their careers to the development and promulgation of ASME S&C programs. The objective of the scholarship fund is to secure financial contributions from the engineering community, from dedicated members who volunteer their time and expertise to advance the profession and devote their careers to the development and promulgation of ASME S&C programs to provide college scholarships to full-time students pursuing a degree in mechanical engineering or a substantially related field.
The ASME Foundation launched the fundraising program for the S&C Scholarship fund in December 2017. The initial target is US$250,000 for the first scholarship to be awarded this summer. One scholarship will be awarded — one for each US$250,000 raised. The long-term goal is to raise US$1 million so that four scholarships can be awarded.
Scholarship Stipulations and Educational Requirements
The maximum amount of each scholarship is US$10,000. The amount will be adjusted for international students, depending on the cost of in-country tuition for engineering education. There are no U.S. citizenship requirements, so international students (except from countries on the U.S. no-trade list) are eligible to be considered for the scholarships.
Applicants must be ASME student members in good standing at the time of application and enrolled at an Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, Inc.-accredited engineering school in the U.S. or overseas with a mechanical engineering program. The recipient will be selected on the basis of scholastic ability and potential contribution to the engineering profession and interest in the development of standards and certification programs.
Students must also show an interest in technology fields related to ASME S&C, such as clean energy, pressure technology, transportation, bioprocessing, medical devices, cranes and lifting devices, elevators and escalators, manufacturing, turbine generators, and risk analysis. Students who exhibit strong interest in and some knowledge of the need, development and benefits of consensus industry standards and certification programs in mechanical engineering applications will receive preference.
Qualified students who have already declared their majors in mechanical engineering and S&C-related fields will be given preference in the selection process. The recipient should participate in at least one S&C meeting related to his/her area of study. S&C will sponsor a travel grant for the first two scholars in their second year of scholarship. The travel grant will be for up to US$1,000 each.
Criteria for Renewing Scholarship
The scholar can apply for renewal each year for a maximum period of 5 years. To apply for and renew the scholarship, the recipient must:
- Maintain a minimum 3.0/4.0 GPA (or international equivalent)
- Be enrolled as a full-time student and in good standing to be verified to ASME from his/her university (can be an electronic/online copy of enrollment)
- Pursue a degree in mechanical engineering or a substantially related field
- Provide a recommendation letter from either the student section advisor or department head
- Submit a brief report, not to exceed one page, highlighting the recipient’s outside activities, including ASME involvement in the current academic year
The ASME S&C Council has already donated US$200,000. The goal of raising additional funds from donors to establish the scholarships can be achieved through the generosity of and word of mouth in the engineering community. Contributions can open the door of opportunity for today’s students to help them become dynamic and impactful engineers, while improving the lives of millions around the world through the advancement of engineering.
The ASME Foundation, a 501C3 organization, welcomes tax-deductible donations at all levels. No amount is too small.
Get more of Elevator World. Sign up for our free e-newsletter.
