MACON — Mercer University School of Engineering freshman Sarah Fenimore was recently awarded a Science, Mathematics and Research for Transformation (SMART) Scholarship by the U.S. Department of Defense.
Fenimore, a civil engineering major, will receive full tuition, a stipend and full-time employment with the Department of Defense after graduation. She also will participate in a summer research internship and be paired with a mentor at one of the scholarship program’s sponsoring facilities.
She is the second engineering student to be awarded the scholarship this year. Freshman Abigail Maddox, a mechanical engineering major, also received the scholarship.
“Sarah has a knack for details and a passion for service,” said Michael Marcoux, instructor of industrial engineering. “Not only has she distinguished herself in the Mercer community, but she is also already making a difference in Middle Georgia. I recently had the pleasure of listening to her speak to the Houston County High School Engineering Advisory Council where she shared how strong high school engineering programs can lay the groundwork for successful college and professional careers. I am very happy that all her hard work has earned her this opportunity, and I am excited to watch her spearhead more projects, both inside and outside the classroom.”
Fenimore, from Warner Robins, plans to work at Robins Air Force Base after graduation.
“I am beyond blessed to have received this amazing scholarship,” she said. “I’ve lived in Warner Robins my entire life, so I am very excited to be a part of Robins.”
She also intends to earn a master’s degree in civil engineering.
“I am very interested in historic building preservation and improving existing structures instead of demolishing them,” she said. “I also have a big passion for service, so I would love to be able to help people in underprivileged areas and countries.”
At Mercer, Fenimore has been named to the Dean’s List. She also has worked as an estimating intern at L.E. Schwartz & Son Inc. in Macon. In this role, she helped the lead estimator put together bids for commercial roofing projects.
The SMART Scholarship-for-Service Program was established as a concentrated effort to enhance the Department of Defense workforce with talented, innovative and brilliant scientists, engineers and researchers. For more than a decade, SMART Scholars have been working within labs and agencies of the Army, Navy, Air Force and additional Department of Defense units to support the warfighter and create an impact to secure the nation.
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 & 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. For more information, visit engineering.mercer.edu.
