The George W. Laird Merit Fellowship is given to honor the memory of George W. Laird. He obtained an A.B. degree at Hamilton College in 1964. He then attended the University of Delaware, where he was awarded a B.M.E. degree with highest honors in 1968 and an M.M.A.E. degree in 1971. On September 6, 1977, at the age of thirty-five, George W. Laird was killed in a tragic accident.
Determined that something positive should come from this seemingly senseless loss, his family and friends established a fund to support a major fellowship, based on merit, that will provide a source of strong motivation to students working toward graduate degrees in the College of Engineering. The generous support of more than 300 donors has made this award possible.
The objective of the fellowship is to encourage the recipient to become engaged in a broadening intellectual pursuit which may or may not be of direct application to the recipient's chosen field of study.
The award for 2005 is $20,000 and the recipient's name will be inscribed on a plaque displayed in the College of Engineering.
The award is based on merit and may be used by the recipient for any purpose. The donors have specified that the George W. Laird Merit Fellowship in no way endanger or prejudice other funds or grants that might be available to the awardee.
Graduate students in engineering in the process of completing their first year of graduate study at the University of Delaware and who expect to continue in the program during the ensuing year are eligible. A minimum GPA of 3.0 is required.
The fellowship recipient shall be chosen from candidates recommended by faculty members, students, and department chairpersons. The heart of the selection process will be personal contact between award candidates and the selection committee and its advisers. The selection committee consists of members representing the College of Engineering, the University, the community, and the family of George W. Laird.
The candidates will be asked to provide short descriptions of themselves, their accomplishments, and their plans for the future and to make available to the selection committee any records and information necessary for the selection process by signing the appropriate release forms.
In its evaluations, the committee stresses balanced excellence, combining demonstrated intellectual capability with a strong emphasis placed on human qualities such as character, maturity, sense of humor, creativity, ingenuity, and imagination, coupled with practical skills, perseverance and the common sense necessary to execute ideas.
For information on applying for the George W. Laird Merit Fellowship, contact your department chair. Applications should be submitted to your chair no later than February 1, 2005.