Joe Price, sophomore electrical engineering student, received a scholarship from the Institute of the Electrical and Electronics Engineers Power and Energy Society.
The organization provides electrical engineering students the opportunity to receive a scholarship for up to three years of financial support. The scholarship gives students a total of $7,000 and the opportunity to obtain internships.
“I did not hear about the scholarship until Professor Song emailed me over the summer and told me that I should apply for the scholarship,” Price said.
Students who are interested in the scholarship need to major in electrical engineering, take three power engineering courses, have a GPA of 3.0 or better and consider a career in electric power and energy engineering, according to the Institute website.
Even though these requisites are essentials for applying, Price said there are more elements the Institute considers.
“You have to have references, your résumé, you have to demonstrate extracurricular activities at your university and leadership qualities,” Price said.
“You have the opportunity to reapply for the scholarship two times. The first time $2,000, the second time is $2,000 again and the third time you apply it would be $3,000,” Price said.
Once a student receives the scholarship, the process for reapplying in subsequent years is simply to continue meeting the scholarship requirements.
Assistant professor Ted Song said that Price is the second student at the University who received this scholarship. Zach Lee, senior electrical engineering student, received the scholarship two years ago.
Students from around the country compete in order to obtain the scholarship.
“This is a national scholarship, so it is a very competitive process,” Song said.
Song also said that this scholarship is an incredible opportunity for students to increase their knowledge in the field.
Price said the process took about a month and that he received help from his professors, especially Song. Price remembers the moment when he was notified about the award.
“I was in physics lab and I checked my email and I saw that it said ‘congratulations,’” Price said. “And I was like, ‘yes!’”
Applications for this year are closed but they will be available in spring 2016.