NC Space Grant | Undergraduate Scholarship Program

A major goal of the NC Space Grant Consortium is to help produce the engineers and scientists of the future. While opportunities for careers in aerospace have expanded, the number of talented students pursuing degrees in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) has declined.
The NC Space Grant Undergraduate Scholarship Program is a competitive scholarship program funded by NASA with the goals of:

Increasing participation in STEM-related research and careers by students attending NC Space Grant member universities who demonstrate high academic achievement and promise; and
Promoting undergraduate STEM-related research by assisting students with establishing relationships with student and faculty mentors early in their academic career.

The Undergraduate Scholarship requires awardees to establish a relationship with a faculty member and a NC Space Grant Undergraduate Research Scholar or Graduate Fellow from the same discipline during the award period. NC Space Grant will assist each awardee in identifying the appropriate individuals and in making the initial contact with faculty and other students.

The faculty/scholar interaction will provide the student the ability to learn more about the STEM discipline and current research projects and opportunities in the department. The student will be expected to initiate meetings with the faculty member to discuss research opportunities and to undertake academic coursework needed to prepare for research and careers in these areas.
The student/student peer relationship will allow the awardee to understand the benefits of conducting undergraduate research and how to prepare to become a successful STEM researcher. Student mentorship has proven to be effective in encouraging undergraduates to pursue STEM careers and research leading to employment and to enrolling in graduate programs.

Applicants should have an academic background that demonstrates a strong interest and ability in STEM, reflected by the completion of a significant number of these courses with high achievement. The student should have the necessary academic coursework and preparation to be successful in a STEM major at the institution. Applicants should also possess a strong interest in a STEM-related career demonstrated by participation in extracurricular activities and prior school projects in STEM. Prior participation in research, NASA programs or similar STEM-related educational programs, both formal and informal, would also indicate the student has a good chance of sustaining interest in STEM. Applications are evaluated based upon a student's academic achievement, letters of recommendation, and exhibited leadership qualities.

Award Level

Academic year: $1,000.00

Eligibility Requirements

The Undergraduate Scholarship applicant must be:

A permanent United States citizen.
Pursuing a bachelor’s degree in a science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) discipline of interest to NASA or aerospace industry.
Enrolled as a full-time student and classified as a sophomore at a NC Space Grant member university during the 2010-2011 academic year (students transferring from Community Colleges are encouraged to apply).
In good academic standing with a GPA of 3.0 (out of 4.0).

Applicants are eligible to receive one Undergraduate Scholarship during their academic studies.

Applying for a Undergraduate Scholarship

The 2010 Application Period has closed.

Applicants must click new user registration button to begin application
APPLICATIONS MUST BE RECEIVED BY 11:59 P.M. EST February 25, 2010
(Letters of recommendation must be submitted by the reference by March 1, 2010)
Awards will be announced by early April 2010.

Interested students must complete an online application (see link above). Please read all program guidelines including applicant eligibility and reporting requirements before submitting your application. The application must be submitted online and all information must be complete or the application will not be reviewed. The key components of the application are discussed in more detail below.

Statement of your academic and career goals: a brief statement by the applicant relating to how his/her degree will help him/her prepare for a career in aerospace or a STEM field that will support NASA's mission. Indicate how plans for future academic preparation include pursuing an undergraduate four-year degree or beyond.
Letters of Recommendation: provide the names and contact information for two references of which one must be the applicant’s current faculty advisor. Letters of recommendation should assess the applicant’s technical and/or academic potential as well as his/her progress and academic achievements. NC Space Grant will contact both references via email to request a letter of recommendation on behalf of the applicant. References will be provided with a link to submit the recommendation. For the application to be complete, both letters of recommendation must be submitted by the mentioned due date. NC Space Grant suggests that applicants contact the references listed and inform them that they will receive an email requesting this information on their behalf (applications@spacegrant.org).
University transcripts: Unofficial transcripts from all institutions and from the current institution with grades through Fall 2009 are required and can be submitted as a PDF in the online application. Applicants must also submit a transcript from their high school (or community college) last attended prior to entering the university. If the applicant is selected to receive the award, official transcripts will be required at time of acceptance. If the applicant does not have a PDF conversion tool, links to free on-line PDF converters are provided within the application.

Awardee Requirements

Selected students are required to conduct a series of campus interviews that includes: their NC Space Grant Campus Director, a NC Space Grant Research Scholar or Fellow, and two interviews with faculty members who are conducting aerospace-related research on their campus of interest to the student.

At the completion of the award period, but no later than June 30, 2011, the scholarship recipient must submit a brief, written report on their experience as a NC Space Grant Undergraduate Scholar. The report should address:

Academic progress, including degree granted (if applicable);
The impact the award has made on plans to pursue an advanced higher education degree;
Significant results of the recipient’s experience (e.g. a list of presentations made, awards or honors);
Employment or future educational plans.

Additionally, awardees must:

Share their research experiences in public forums or educational settings. Presentations that encourage interest in aerospace careers and research to high school students are of particular interest to NC Space Grant;
Provide a photo and biographical information upon selection;
Inform the Consortium of changes of address; and
Respond to academic and employment follow-up surveys administered by NC Space Grant as required by NASA.

For questions, please contact:
Tom Knott, Technology and Communications Specialist
NC Space Grant
1009 Capability Drive, Suite 210
NC State University
Campus Box 7515
Raleigh, NC 27695-7515
tom_knott@ncsu.edu
(919) 515-4240