URS/SRR Engineering Scholars Named
August 25, 2011
Front row, from left: SRR President and Project Manager Dave Olson joins USC Dean of the College of Engineering and Computer Science Tony Ambler, USCA Chancellor Tom Hallman and Executive Vice President of Special Projects for URS Global Management & Operations Services Bill Poulson to present $50,000 to fund the URS/SRR Engineering Scholars. With the group are the first seven Scholars.
Aiken, S.C. – Seven high school students have been named the first URS/SRR Engineering Scholars as part of a new program at the University of South Carolina Aiken.
The first students named recipients are as follows: Ryan Ward of Irmo High School; Jason Barber of South Aiken High; Lewis Arthur of Midland Valley High; Colt Everatt of South Aiken High; Matthew Harvey of Wagener-Salley High School; Keith Smith of Midland Valley High School; and Jordan Justus of Swansea High School. The program will provide $2,500 renewable scholarships each year for academically talented students who have declared engineering as entering freshman. The program also will coordinate with USC Columbia, allowing the students to retain the scholarship when they transfer from USC Aiken to USC Columbia's College of Engineering and Computing if they maintain a high academic standard.
"We are very proud to partner with these two companies in supporting engineering education," said USC Aiken Chancellor Dr. Tom Hallman about the new venture. "This innovative program builds upon local talented students and upon our strong ties with the College of Engineering and Computer Science at USC Columbia. This is truly a program that benefits all participants."
David Pethick, URS General Manager of Global Management and Operations Services, said his company is pleased to offer the scholarships in an effort to help cultivate the next generation of engineers.
"URS has been a long supporter of education," he said. "Awarding these scholarships allows URS to continue our support of students in the math and sciences, while supporting both USC Aiken and USC Columbia's School of Engineering. We congratulate the scholarship award recipients and both universities for creating this program for these bright students." David Olson, SRR President and Project Manager, agrees.
"Savannah River Remediation will continue to need engineers who have a solid technical foundation but understand how to be innovative," he said. "These scholars have demonstrated they have the tools and talents to be outstanding engineers. We want to ensure they start off on the right foot, and we look forward to working with them as they advance toward their degrees."
USC Aiken is a senior institution of the University of South Carolina system. The University offers bachelor's and master's degrees to more than 3,200 students in 43 degree programs. USC Aiken is ranked the #1 public baccalaureate college in the South by U.S.News & World Report's guide "America's Best Colleges." 2010 marks USC Aiken's 13th consecutive ranking among the top three in this category and its seventh time in first place.
Point of Contact: Dean Campbell, Manager, Public Affairs dean.campbell@srs.gov