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You Visit Tour. Webb Lion Fountain. June 1 2017. Photo David B. Hollingsworth

Engineering Major Awarded Full Scholarship Through National Defense Education Program

An Old Dominion University engineering student has been awarded a full scholarship under the American Society for Engineering Education's Science, Mathematics and Research for Transformation (SMART) program, a national program funded by the U.S. Department of Defense's National Defense Education Program.

Corey Guilbault, 19, a Chesapeake resident who is a sophomore engineering major in ODU's Frank Batten College of Engineering and Technology, navigated a nine-month application process to win the award, which covers his next three years of tuition and books, pays him a monthly stipend and provides health insurance.

Guilbault said the application process was made more competitive because fewer scholarships were funded by the Department of Defense, due to cuts imposed by sequestration. "I was truly surprised and grateful when I found out I was a recipient," he said.

Through admission to the SMART Service for Scholarship program, Guilbault will also receive paid summer internships at the U.S. Navy's Combat Direction Systems Activity operation, based at Dam Neck Fleet Training Center in Virginia Beach.

"It's a really great program. I've been recommending it to all my friends, and telling them to apply now because it's such a detailed application," he said.

In exchange for his three years of funding, Guilbault will provide three years of service as a civilian employee for the U.S. Navy. As a dependent of a 20-year Navy veteran, his father Brian, Guilbault said he's excited about the opportunity to work in a complex military organization. "I don't know what I'll be doing yet, because I'm still going through security clearance," he said.

Guilbault, who hopes to work in automotive technology or robotics after he earns his degree and completes his SMART obligations, is thankful that he chose to study engineering at ODU.

"Since it's close to home, I know people who've gone through the program and their experiences have been like mine - with lots of hands-on assistance from faculty. It's been great, I'm really enjoying it," he said.

The Science, Mathematics and Research for Transformation Scholarship for Service Program is available to students pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. Students pursuing degrees related to the following are encouraged to apply:

  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering
  • Nuclear Engineering
  • Oceanography
  • Operations Research
  • Physics
  • Electrical Engineering
  • Geosciences
  • Industrial and Systems Engineering
  • Information Sciences
  • Materials Science and Engineering
  • Mathematics
  • Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering
  • Biosciences
  • Chemical Engineering
  • Chemistry
  • Civil Engineering
  • Cognitive, Neural and Behavioral Sciences; and
  • Computer and Computational Sciences.

For information about the program, see the SMART website at http://smart.asee.org/.

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