The Department of War (DoW) SMART Scholarship Program is designed to help science, technology, engineering and mathematics students jumpstart their careers—building the next generation of STEM experts in civilian service.
From the SMART Scholarship Program have emerged some of the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center’s (ERDC) most accomplished leaders. One of whom is Dr. Robert Moser, director of ERDC’s Information Technology Laboratory (ITL).
Moser reflected on his time in the program, crediting his experience as a significant step in his engineering journey.
“The SMART program was a great opportunity to connect with those who could be impactful on my career in civil service and national security,” said Moser, who was a SMART scholar while pursuing a doctorate degree at the Georgia Institute of Technology from 2009 to 2011. “The program fast-tracked my career, as it directly connected me with colleagues and projects that paved the way for my return to ERDC as a full-time employee. The support through this internship and the developed collaborations allowed me to hit the ground running.”
Aspiring STEM professionals today are springboarded by the program, as 20 SMART Awardees, including five retention scholars who are full-time ERDC employees, received the scholarship award to pursue advanced degrees. Fifteen recruitment scholars were also among the awardees, with six of them being Vicksburg, Mississippi, natives.
Speler Montgomery, talent acquisition program manager for SMART and an employee of the ERDC Directorate of Human Capital, expressed pride in the program’s reach in the surrounding community.
“I am so proud to see that six of the scholars are local students from Vicksburg,” said Montgomery. “This is a testament to our STEM Outreach efforts in our local communities and informing ERDC’s student interns of this wonderful program and opportunity. We are very fortunate to participate and execute the program at ERDC, as it is a vital link in our recruitment pipeline.”
William Dowe, one of the six Vicksburg recipients, appreciates the opportunity to pursue his dream career in STEM in the town he calls home.
“The SMART program is a wonderful incentive to aspiring STEM professionals,” said Dowe, a civil engineering student at Mississippi State University. “Having the SMART scholarship allows me to fully dive in, knowing that I’m going to be living in Vicksburg near my family. Offering such a great scholarship to people who aspire to work in STEM is one of the best ways to enhance both academia and ERDC. Assisting scholarship recipients with school, knowing their studies, and offering internship opportunities are amazing ways for ERDC to ensure the engineers they hire. This program made my decision to work at ERDC easier.”
The program’s reach also extends beyond Mississippi, as many of its recipients come from across the country. Hope George, who is pursuing a master’s degree in biosciences at John Carroll University in Ohio, is thankful for the program, as it provides financial security and allows her to fully focus on her studies.
“The SMART program benefits me by providing me with graduate school funding, which opened the door for me to pursue an out-of-state graduate degree without worrying about being able to live and support myself,” said George. “I enjoy the peace of mind I get from knowing that I will have consistent support through graduate school and job security when I graduate. Many people in my field struggle to find jobs immediately after graduation, so it is a relief to know that I won’t have to worry as much about that.”
The SMART Program offers the SMART Scholarship for students currently enrolled at a college or university, or with previous college credit, and the Dellums Memorial SMART Scholarship is for students with no previous college credit who intend to pursue a bachelor’s degree.
Visit https://www.smartscholarship.org/smart for more information.