Twenty-four of UB's top engineering students were recognized Friday evening at the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences' 18th annual scholarship reception.
The Center for Tomorrow event staff ran out of chairs when over 200 people gathered in the ballroom to recognize the undergraduate and graduate students who received scholarships. Over the course of the night, a number of scholarships were given out in various fields of engineering.
"Over the last few years, the number of scholarships awarded to students has tripled, and the number of students has doubled," said Dr. Mark Karwan, dean of the School of Engineering.
Karwan said the increase in the number of scholarships awarded to students was due to more active alumni participation in the scholarship program, mainly through donations.
For Jon Tae Park, a senior aerospace engineering major, the fact that he was one of the 17 recipients of the Senior Scholar Award was the deciding factor in his choice to attend graduate school.
"I would be looking for a job right now if I didn't receive this scholarship," Park said. "It will cover a significant amount of the cost (of graduate study), and it also qualifies me to do research with a faculty member."
First-time donators Thomas Fischer and Terry Lynn Collins of Applied Sciences Group, Inc., said they hope students will begin to acknowledge the connection between the engineering industry and the university.
"It's important for students to know that the university and industry are not completely divorced," Fischer said. "Either is a viable option; there isn't one without the other."
Zia Ansari, a senior mechanical engineering major, said she attended the reception to support friends and "shake hands with important people."
According to Jennifer Zirnheld, an electrical engineering professor, the annual scholarship reception is an ideal place for employers to seek out possible interns or research assistants.
"Scholarships help instructors see which students have a future in the field," Zirnheld said. "It's possible to see a student every day and not realize their potential. Awards and scholarships let a student's talents speak for themselves."
According to Karwan, the scholarships together added up to approximately $24,000, with individual scholarships ranging from $300 to some that "virtually covered the cost of tuition."
Jialock Wong, a senior electrical engineering major and scholarship recipient, is currently working on methods to preserve hydrogen gas and use it as fuel.
"Events like this prove that hard work in the lab pays off," said Wong.
"We should all help out by donating to scholarship funds after graduation," he added. "It keeps the science moving forward."
