Society of Women Engineers Awards Three UA Students

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Three students at The University of Alabama have received Society of Women Engineers scholarships for 2006.

The students are Meredith Caldwell of Millbrook, Sarah Grano of Owens Crossroads, and Stephanie Mizzell of Vestavia Hills.

The University ranked among the top universities in the nation in total number of recipients for scholarships, said Dr. Beth Todd, associate professor of mechanical engineering and adviser for UA’s Society of Women Engineers.

Caldwell, a senior in mechanical engineering, received a $2,400 scholarship funded by Caterpillar Inc. Caldwell is a co-op student working for Southern Nuclear. She is UA’s SWE chapter president, and she was the captain of UA’s first all female mini-baja vehicle team last year.

Grano, a junior in mechanical engineering, received a $1,400 scholarship funded by Bechtel Corp. Grano is a co-op student working for Southern Company. She is UA’s SWE outreach vice president.

Mizzell, a junior in electrical and computer engineering, received a $2,250 scholarship funded by ADC Telecommunications. She serves as UA’s SWE newsletter committee chair.

The Society of Women Engineers Scholarship Program provides financial assistance to women admitted to accredited baccalaureate or graduate programs in preparation for careers in engineering and computer science. In fiscal year 2005, SWE disbursed more than 130 new and renewed scholarships valued at more than $300,000.

In 1837, The University of Alabama became the first university in the state to offer engineering classes and was one of the first five in the nation to do so. Today, the College of Engineering has about 1,900 students and more than 95 faculty. It has been fully accredited since accreditation standards were implemented in the 1930s.