THE S.M.A.R.T. SCHOLARSHIP: A PATHWAY TO A FUTURE IN S.T.E.M.
Rebecca Stallard
Widener University’s own Sean Crook, a first-year Electrical Engineering major, has been selected as a semi-finalist for the prestigious Science, Mathematics, and Research for Transformation (S.M.A.R.T.) Scholarship. The S.M.A.R.T. Scholarship is one STEM initiative from the Department of Defense, a part of their larger mission to, in their words, “attract, inspire, and develop exceptional STEM talent across the education continuum to enrich our current and future DoD workforce to meet defense technological challenges.” The associated benefits of the S.M.A.R.T. Scholarship are numerous and have the potential to open myriad doors of opportunity for recipients.
Sean Crook kept his career goals in the forefront while searching for scholarships. Currently studying electrical engineering, Crook started his career at Widener on the Robotics Engineering degree pathway. His passion for robotic systems influences his ambitions of, as he says, “working at Boston Dynamics on robots similar to the Spot Explorer.” The Spot Explorer robot, the brainchild of engineers at Boston Dynamics, can traverse terrain uninhabitable by humans and act as a life-saving device in case of emergencies. Crook describes his introduction to the S.M.A.R.T. Scholarship as “too good to be true.” After avidly searching for scholarships to support his ambitious career goals, the draw of the S.M.A.R.T. Scholarship’s regular stipends, full-ride scholarship, and exclusive access to governmental internship opportunities enticed Crook to apply. Crook expresses that winning this scholarship would “provide a more secure route to achieving my career goals,” as he would like to “work in the United States Department of Defense to gain transferable engineering and career skills” before pursuing his more ambitious goals.
The application process for the S.M.A.R.T. Scholarship is multifaceted, with the application window running from August to the beginning of December each year. The application focuses not only on potential recipients’ past achievements, but their future ambitions as well. Interested students are required to submit two essays, three letters of recommendation, and a statement about their research interests, in addition to the anticipated scholarship application materials. Potential applicants are encouraged to apply via the link provided below. Best of luck!
