In an effort to make higher education programs more accessible to students who want to pursue engineering and science degrees, some schools have established financial aid programs to help them pay for tuition, books, housing, fees and other expenses.
For instance, the Yakima Valley Community College (YVCC) has announced the application process for its National Science Foundation scholarships, which will be used during the 2010-2011 academic year. The community college was able to launch this financial aid opportunity because of funds contributed by Washington State University (WSU).
Eligible candidates include high school graduates enrolling at the college this fall who plan to specialize in computer science or electrical and mechanical engineering. Students must also be planning to transfer to the four-year university to complete their studies through a bachelors program. Applicants finishing their degree at the WSU-Tri Cities campus are preferred.
The scholarship program has also made financial assistance available to YVCC enrollees who have participated in the Yakima Valley/Tri-Cities Mathematics Engineering Science Achievement program.
Winners will be selected based on academic achievement and financial need. August 14 is the last day for application submissions.
Over the next eight years, the employment of mechanical engineers is expected to grow by 6 percent, and an estimated 14,400 new jobs will be created, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
