October 25, 2019

Diana de la Cruz, a sophomore studying Chemical Engineering, served as master of ceremonies for the scholarship dinner.

The MU College of Engineering has awarded 547 students more than $1.2 million in scholarships for the current academic year. The recipients had an opportunity to meet and mingle with the friends and faculty of the College who fund their scholarships at the annual scholarship dinner at Memorial Union.

“We are gathered here tonight to celebrate the connections that bind us all: the bonds between scholarship donors and recipients, between undergraduate students and alumni, and between academia and the private sector,” said MU Engineering Dean Elizabeth Loboa, who thanked supporters of the College for their generosity.

Supporters of the College recognize the incredible benefits that scholarships provide for engineering students. Most notably, these scholarships and endowments allow hard-working students to focus on their classwork and extracurricular activities, which teach them the value of teamwork and provide the leadership opportunities necessary to their growth as well-rounded engineers.

“In my four years with the College of Engineering, I’ve been incredibly impressed by the achievements of our exceptional undergraduate students,” Dean Loboa said during her remarks at the Oct. 24 dinner. “I want to do everything I can to ensure our students continue to have the resources they need to thrive.”

Instead of a keynote speaker as in years past, this year’s scholarship dinner featured two engineering students who told the audience how scholarships made it possible for them to pursue their studies.

Engineering students enjoy dinner and conversation with friends and alumni of the College who fund their scholarships.

Caroline Langley is a Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering major graduating in December 2020. The Springfield, Missouri, native said scholarships help relieve financial stress and allow students to concentrate on coursework.

“There are many us in the college who have monetary burdens that are hard to manage with difficult engineering course loads, but your kindness and support helps take away these worries and allows for a greater focus on our schooling,” she said. “Your donations also give us encouragement. Personally, my scholarship meant to me that there is someone who believes that I will prevail through my tough classes and late nights of studying to be a successful engineer.”

Jackson Barry is majoring in Civil Engineering and will graduate in May 2021. Originally from Carrollton, Missouri, Barry also is a trombone player in Marching Mizzou. He is a recipient of the Poe Undergraduate Scholarship for Engineering Leadership Development.

“Through scholarships, I am allowed to be a part of multiple organizations and opportunities within the college and let my studies as a scholar be my number one priority,” Barry said. “These scholarships have helped me grow as a student and as an individual.”

Diana de la Cruz, a sophomore studying Chemical Engineering, served as master of ceremonies for the scholarship dinner. Cruz, who was born in California and raised in the Philippines, plans to pursue a career as a process engineer with the goal of reducing waste in the environment.