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Chriss Swaney
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For immediate release:
November 12, 2004

Carnegie Mellon Engineering Student To Receive Scholarship Award From New Philanthropic Group

PITTSBURGH—Carnegie Mellon University's doctoral student Elisabeth Gilmore will receive the first installment of a three year $15,000 scholarship Nov. 15, 2004, from the ARCS Foundation, Inc., at a Duquesne Club luncheon gala.

The ARCS Foundation, Inc. (Achievement Rewards for College Scientists) is a national volunteer women's organization dedicated to strengthening American science and technology by providing scholarships to the best and brightest U.S. graduate and undergraduate students in the natural sciences, medicine and engineering.

Jeanne B. Berdik, Pittsburgh ARCS chapter president, said the foundation's Los Angeles origin in 1958 stems from a response to Sputnik and the possible loss of U.S. supremacy in the technology race. All members are volunteers who donate their time, efforts and financial support.

"The Pittsburgh chapter of the ARCS Foundation began in 2003 with a focus on providing scholarship funds to help recruit the best and brightest American doctoral students in the sciences and technology to Carnegie Mellon," Berdik said. "We eventually hope to make a significant contribution to Pittsburgh's scientific community by helping bring the most brilliant young minds to this region. Our goal is to provide $350,000 for 24 scholars in the next five years."

Gilmore is a doctoral student in engineering and public policy at Carnegie Mellon. Her research focuses on low-cost and environmentally friendly electricity and energy generation for small-scale distribution.

"We are proud to acknowledge this scholarship gift, and we look forward to increased giving opportunities for our talented students," said Pradeep K. Khosla, dean of Carnegie Mellon's College of Engineering.

Nationwide, the ARCS Foundation has 1,400 members in 14 chapters throughout the United States. In fiscal year 2003-2004, the ARCS Foundation awarded more than $3 million to 490 scholars at the nation's top-ranked science departments at 45 universities. Cumulatively, scholarship funding has totaled more than $49 million since the organization's founding, making the ARCS foundation the single largest contributor to basic scientific education of any private membership organization in the United States.