Brady Klein, 2016 graduate of Eastern Local High School and son of Chris and Nancee Klein of Lake Waynoka, Ohio was recently awarded the Department of Defense’s Science, Mathematics and Research for Transformation (SMART) Scholarship.
The University of Toledo freshman Civil Engineering student will have his final three years of tuition and education related fees paid, have a yearly summer co-op opportunity, health insurance allowance, receive a yearly cash stipend, and receive a post-graduation job at Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio. This scholarship is highly competitive. In 2016 there were only 239 scholars awarded nationwide, which was only 12% of the total applicants. The average GPA of the scholars was 3.7 and the amount of Civil Engineering students awarded was only 4%, which is 9 out of the 239 scholars awarded.
The SMART Scholarship website states the following as an explanation of the program: “Science, Mathematics, and Research for Transformation (SMART) Scholarship Program is a scholarship-for-service program designed to produce the next generation of Department of Defense’s Science & Technology leaders.
“Because of this excellent opportunity now I can focus on school knowing that I have a full time job waiting for me when I graduate college” stated Klein.
Klein is only the second student from the University of Toledo to be awarded this prestigious scholarship since the program’s inception in 2006. He will begin his sophomore year of studies at the University of Toledo this fall where he also enjoys playing baseball on the University’s club baseball team. He also is the Secretary of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) and a member of the Concrete Canoe construction team that completes in National competitions against other universities.
“I plan on making a career out of this opportunity with the Department of Defense” stated Klein.
Although it felt like a “longshot” when he started the application process, Klein said he’s glad he did and would recommend to his fellow Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) students to also take a shot. You can find information regarding the SMART Scholarship program at https://smart.asee.org/.