MACON – Mercer University rising junior Emily Wilbourn recently received the Chevron/SWE Scholarship from the Society of Women Engineers (SWE).
The $5,000 award is annually presented to 18 high-achieving female students enrolled in an ABET-accredited program in engineering, technology or computing.
Wilbourn, from Jefferson, is a computer science major with a minor in math. Her research interests include artificial intelligence, as well as graph theory and how it applies to computer science.
“I am extremely grateful that I was selected for the Chevron/SWE Scholarship,” said Wilbourn. “Earning this scholarship allows me to devote more time to studying and participating in extracurricular activities rather than worrying about how I’m going to pay for school. I’m thankful for the support that the Society of Women Engineers has given me the past couple years. I’m also grateful to my professors here at Mercer, my coworkers at Georgia Tech Research Institute, my friends and my family who have never given up on me.”
At Mercer, Wilbourn serves as treasurer for SWE, a member of the Mercer Wind Ensemble and an inductee in the National Society of Leadership and Success. She is also a visiting student researcher at Georgia Tech Research Institute in Warner Robins, where she has assisted with independent verification and validation (IV&V) planning and execution for major Air Force programs.
“Emily is well-deserving of the Chevron/SWE scholarship. She is an excellent scholar, applying her studies in math and computer science at conferences and in research initiatives. Emily is also an active and well-respected member of the campus community,” said Dr. Jennifer Goode, instructor of technical communication and faculty adviser to Mercer’s chapter of SWE. “All of us in the Mercer chapter are very proud of her accomplishments and recognition at the national level.”
Founded in 1950, SWE is the world’s largest advocate and catalyst for change for women in engineering and technology. The organization’s scholarship program provides financial assistance to those who identify as a female/woman and are studying community college, baccalaureate or graduate programs in preparation for careers in engineering, engineering technology and computer science. Last year, SWE awarded nearly 260 new and renewed scholarships valued at more than $810,000.
About the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Mercer University’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences serves as the academic cornerstone of one of America’s oldest and most distinctive institutions of higher learning. The oldest and largest of Mercer’s 12 schools and colleges, it is a diverse and vibrant community, enrolling more than 1,900 students, dedicated to learning and service through the practice of intellectual curiosity, respectful dialog and responsible citizenry. The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences offers majors in more than 30 areas of study, including more than a dozen pre-professional academic tracks, with classes taught by an outstanding faculty of scholars. In 2015, Mercer was awarded a chapter of The Phi Beta Kappa Society, the nation’s most prestigious academic honor society that recognizes exceptional achievement in the arts and sciences. For more information, visit liberalarts.mercer.edu.
About the School of Engineering
Mercer University’s School of Engineering, founded in 1985, offers innovative and academically challenging programs that provide students with a comprehensive education, featuring a solid foundation in mathematics and sciences, a core engineering curriculum, a range of courses in engineering specialties and a strong emphasis on communication technologies. The School is consistently ranked by U.S. News and World Report as one of the top three master’s-degree-level engineering schools in the Southeast. Known for its breadth of instruction in its undergraduate program and its five-year joint bachelor’s and master’s degree program, the School combines technical education with hands-on laboratory experience. Mercer engineers can look forward to joining fellow alumni in companies such as Robins Air Force Base, Mercer Engineering Research Center, Northrop Grumman, Georgia Power, Manhattan Associates and Gulfstream Aerospace.
