Scholarship Program for Master's Degree Seeking Students in Engineering

Suny At Binghamton, Binghamton NY

Investigators

Abstract

Binghamton University will create a scholarship program that will encourage capable, domestic, and financially challenged students to successfully complete a master's (MS) degree in electrical, computer, or mechanical engineering. MS students will also develop leadership skills, entrepreneurial ability, and teamwork through course work, seminars, and internships in industry. The program allows Binghamton University to offer scholarships to directly address a current need in high-technology industries for American citizens with advanced degrees in engineering. Scholarships for academically strong engineering students, who may not otherwise be able to afford study for advanced engineering degrees, will provide the future technological leadership needed by national, regional, and local high-technology industries. The Departments of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Mechanical Engineering at Binghamton University will recruit three cohorts of nine students each. The program of study for the recipients will closely follow the recommendations in the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) reports for educating the engineer of 2020. Specifically, the program will be dedicated to fostering the MS degree as a professional engineering degree. As advocated by the NAE in Engineer 2020, the development of advanced technical expertise will be combined with leadership skills, entrepreneurial thinking, and teamwork. These educational goals will be achieved through courses and seminars taken in common by the students. Internships opportunities with high-technology industries will be emphasized. The S-STEM scholars will participate in monthly seminars with fellow students, faculty members, and industry partners. The seminars will be used as a vehicle to guide students in their academic and professional development. The program aligns with an institution-wide initiative at Binghamton University highlighting combining master's degrees with internships. The S-STEM scholars will benefit from Binghamton University's departments of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Mechanical Engineering history of active interdisciplinary collaboration and engagement with industry. The experience of the program as developed through evaluation and assessment will add to the body of knowledge about best practices for need and merit-based scholarship programs in engineering.