Indiana State University Newsroom

A National Science Foundation grant will allow Indiana State University to award scholarships to eligible students pursuing degrees in engineering technology.

The grant totaling more than $487,000 will fund a program dubbed STARS, for Sycamore Technology Academics & Recruitment Scholarships. The five-year program will award 20 STARS Scholarships to students majoring in computer engineering technology and mechanical engineering technology.

The first four scholarships will be awarded in fall 2011 to selected incoming freshmen and or transfer students. To be considered, students must have a grade point average of 2.8 or higher on a 4.0 scale and an estimated financial need of $5,000 per year or more.

The funds will also support seminars, industry forums and online academic and social networking to complement existing student support services such as a learning community, internships and co-ops.

"Interactions among students and industry professionals help increase the focus and interest of students, enhance their educational experience and build a relationship of feedback and exchange for students' ongoing success," said M. Affan Badar, chair of the applied engineering and technology management department in Indiana State's College of Technology.

Women and underrepresented minorities are being recruited to participate in the program as part of efforts to increase their involvement in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields, but scholarships will be awarded based on academic and financial eligibility, Badar said.

STARS Scholarships will be among topics discussed during a "Where Are the Girls?" summit Thursday (Sept. 30) at the John T. Myers Technology Center on the Indiana State campus. Sponsored by the Great Lakes Girls Collaborative Project, the summit will address ways to attract more women to STEM fields.

Contact: M. Affan Badar, chair and associate professor, department of applied engineering and technology management, College of Technology, Indiana State University, 812-237-3982 or m.affan.badar@indstate.edu

Writer: Dave Taylor, media relations director, Office of Communications and Marketing, Indiana State University, 812-237-3743 or dave.taylor@indstate.edu