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FIRST ® Announces $14.7 Million in College Scholarships for 2011

Dépèche transmise le 22 mars 2011 par Business Wire

FIRST ® Announces $14.7 Million in College Scholarships for 2011

MANCHESTER, N.H.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--FIRST ^® (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology), a not-for-profit organization founded by inventor Dean Kamen to inspire young people’s interest and participation in science and technology, announced today that the number of scholarship dollars available to college-bound FIRST participants has grown to almost $15 million. Sixteen new providers have joined the FIRST Scholarship program this year, increasing the available dollar amount by $2.4 million over 2010.

“In these tough economic times, scholarships mean more than ever”

A total of 146 colleges, universities, corporations, and associations support the FIRST mission by generously donating merit-based scholarship opportunities to eligible students who want to take their FIRST experience to the next level. Last year, nearly one in three applicants was offered a FIRST Scholarship, and 25 percent of the recipients were female.

“In these tough economic times, scholarships mean more than ever,” said Gina Triolo, FIRST alumna and computer science major at Princeton University. She added, “My FIRST scholarship has made it possible for me to pursue a career in engineering at the school of my dreams. I really could not ask for a greater opportunity than that!” Triolo was the 2010 recipient of a FIRST Allaire Medal Scholarship.

As of March 2011, the newest FIRST Scholarship Providers include: Baker University; Clemson University; College of the Atlantic; Columbia University; Eastern Washington University; Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México ; Itasca Community College; Maryville University; Mineral Area College; Portland State University; Randolph College; St. Mary’s University; Texas A&M University; University of Connecticut; University of Iowa; and University of Massachusetts Amherst/PTC.

“Collectively our FIRST scholarship recipients have proven to be incredible contributors to the colleges and universities they attend, the corporations where they intern and ultimately gain employment, and to FIRST as alums carrying our message that the pursuit of science and technology careers is paramount to workforce development in the 21^st Century,” noted Jon Dudas, President, FIRST.

Any high-school junior or senior participating in the FIRST^® Robotics Competition (FRC^®) or FIRST ^® Tech Challenge (FTC^®) is eligible to apply for one or more FIRST Scholarships. Some FIRST Scholarships are awarded for special majors such as engineering, math, science, computer science, or technology. Others can be used for any course of study. The values of scholarships vary from full four-year tuition to under $1,000. Most applications are due between January and April.

According to Nancy Rosenberg, FIRST Scholarship Manager, “Colleges and Universities offer these scholarships because the skills learned in FIRST― creative problem-solving, time management, teamwork, and Gracious Professionalism™ ― make students more likely to succeed in college.”

About FIRST^®

Accomplished inventor Dean Kamen founded FIRST^® (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) in 1989 to inspire an appreciation of science and technology in young people. Based in Manchester, N.H., FIRST designs accessible, innovative programs to build self-confidence, knowledge, and life skills while motivating young people to pursue opportunities in science, technology, and engineering. With support from three out of every five Fortune 500 companies and more than $14 million in college scholarships, the not-for-profit organization hosts the FIRST^® Robotics Competition (FRC^® ) and FIRST^® Tech Challenge (FTC^® ) for high-school students, FIRST^® LEGO^® League (FLL^® ) for 9 to 14-year-olds, (9 to 16-year-olds outside the U.S. and Canada) and Junior FIRST^® LEGO^® League (Jr.FLL™) for 6 to 9-year-olds. Gracious Professionalism^™ is a way of doing things that encourages high-quality work, emphasizes the value of others, and respects individuals and the community. To learn more about FIRST, go to www.usfirst.org.

FIRST^®, the FIRST^® logo, FIRST^® Robotics Competition, FRC^®, FIRST^® Tech Challenge, and FTC^® are registered trademarks, and Gracious Professionalism™ is a common law trademark of the United States Foundation for Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST^®). LEGO^® is a registered trademark of The LEGO Group. FIRST^® LEGO^® League, Junior FIRST^® LEGO^® League, FLL^®, and Jr.FLL™ are jointly held trademarks of FIRST and The LEGO Group. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. ©2011 FIRST. All rights reserved.