Aerospace Engineering Student Selected as UA’s First SMART Scholar

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Michael Lewis, a senior majoring in aerospace engineering from Knoxville, Tenn., was selected as a 2009 Science, Mathematics and Research for Transformation Scholar.

Lewis is the first student from The University of Alabama to receive this scholarship.

Selected students, known as SMART Scholars, receive full-tuition scholarships, cash awards, paid summer internships, health insurance reimbursement, mentoring and, most notably, employment placement after graduation.

SMART Scholars are employed with the U.S. Department of Defense, where they work as civilian scientists, engineers and mathematicians. Lewis’ scholarship was sponsored by the U.S. Air Force, and, upon graduation, he will work for the Air Armament Center at Elgin Air Force Base as a civilian engineer.

In 1837, The University of Alabama became one of the first five universities in the nation to offer engineering classes. Today, UA’s fully accredited College of Engineering has more than 2,700 students and more than 100 faculty. In the last eight years, students in the College have been named USA TodayAll-USA College Academic Team members, Goldwater scholars, Hollings scholars and Portz scholars.