Westmont Awards Scholarships to Five Computer Science Students

http://www.noozhawk.com/noozhawk/article/070108_westmont_awards_scholarships_to_five_computer_science_students/

By Scott Craig

Using funds from an NSF grant, the college will give each recipient up to $10,000.

Wayne Iba, left, and Kim Kihlstrom are associate professors of computer science at Westmont College. ‘The scholarship program is designed to help meet the need for more computer science graduates,’ Iba said. (Westmont College photo)

Westmont College’s computer science department awarded scholarships of up to $10,000 to five students. The recipients are first-year students Erick Brownfield and Morgan Vigil, juniors Josh Carver and Toby Lounsbury and senior Michael Gardner.

In addition to financial support, the program includes support for study groups, research experience, participation in conferences and other activities.

A grant from the National Science Foundation funds the scholarships for Westmont students majoring in computer science who demonstrate financial need and academic promise.

“The United States is facing a critical shortage of skilled graduates in computer science,” said Kim Kihlstrom, associate professor of computer science. “Despite outsourcing, this shortage will continue for the foreseeable future.”

“There is also a desperate need for women and persons of color in computer science,” said Wayne Iba, associate professor of computer science. “The scholarship program is designed to help meet the need for more computer science graduates.”

Prospective students interested in this scholarship program for the 2009-10 academic year are encouraged to first apply to Westmont, preferably for early action by Nov. 1. Then students may apply for the scholarship. The priority deadline for the scholarship application is Jan. 24, 2009.

From the scholarship applicants, 24 finalists will be invited to the Computer Science Connection on Feb. 20-21. The two-day event will allow prospective students to meet Westmont computer science faculty, who then will evaluate the candidates’ promise for a scholarship award. The event involves meals together, community-building exercises, individual and group problem-solving exams, interviews and games.

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Scott Craig is Westmont College‘s media relations manager.

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