A freshman in Nuclear, Plasma, and Radiological Engineering, Andrew (AJ) Ingram grew up in the small town of Sidney, Illinois, just a stone’s throw from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. It was always his dream to go to college at Illinois but finances were a roadblock.
“I was considering attending the local community college because my family was not prepared financially for a $35,000 per year investment,” said AJ, who had worked nearly 40 hours a week in high school to save for college.
Then, upon being admitted in the Illinois College of Engineering, AJ learned he would be receiving an Engineering Visionary Scholarship. He also spoke to NPRE Prof. David Ruzic, who offered AJ a job working in the Center for Plasma-Material Interactions (CPMI). His scholarship and the ability to work part-time helped finalize his decision to attend Illinois.
“My scholarships made my dreams of studying engineering at Illinois a reality,” AJ said.
With scholarship support, AJ can focus on taking full advantage of his time at Illinois. In addition to working in CPMI, he also plans to study abroad in the future. During his breaks between classes, AJ enjoys reading articles and papers about new technology, in particular, nuclear technology. He also likes to build small pieces of furniture and work outside as a form of stress relief.
The Engineering Visionary Scholarship that AJ received helped remove a tremendous financial burden off his family’s shoulders. The impact scholarships have had on his own life inspire him to pay it forward. AJ said he would love to help a student feel the same pride and peace of mind that he was given by the generosity of others.
NPRE has established a departmental Visionary Scholarship fund to specifically support NPRE students. Learn more about it here!
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