SMART Scholarship Program fuels next generation of STEM talent at ERDC
Photo By Justus Reed |
SMART scholars tour the centrifuge facility at the U.S. Army Engineer Research and......read moreread more
Photo By Justus Reed | SMART scholars tour the centrifuge facility at the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) in Vicksburg, Miss. The Department of War's SMART Scholarship Program fully funds students' degrees and provides guaranteed civilian employment, bringing highly skilled technical talent to cutting-edge research facilities like ERDC. see less
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SMART Scholarship Program fuels next generation of STEM talent at ERDC
VICKSBURG, Miss. — The U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) has selected 28 new awardees across various academic levels for the Department of War’s (DOW) Science, Mathematics and Research for Transformation Scholarship Program, known as SMART.
Cultivating the next generation of Science Technology, Engineering and Mathematics professionals by providing fully funded, merit-based scholarships, the SMART initiative prepares students for civilian careers and brings highly skilled technical talent to cutting-edge military research facilities like ERDC.
The initiative is designed to fund students' degrees while providing a direct path to civilian employment. This dual benefit enhances both academia and the ERDC workforce, creating a steady stream of highly skilled technical labor into DOW laboratories and agencies.
Since 2007, ERDC has supported more than 200 SMART scholars. The program's current status includes 51 scholars pursuing degrees, 37 graduates fulfilling their service obligations and 106 retained scholars who continue to work at ERDC as full-time civilian employees.
The newest group of awardees includes 10 doctoral students, 10 graduate students and eight undergraduates. The group also features three retention scholars — current ERDC employees utilizing the program to receive advanced degrees, including two pursuing doctorates and one pursuing a master's degree.
Speler Montgomery, talent acquisition program manager for the ERDC Directorate of Human Capital, views the scholarship as more than just an educational benefit; it is a cornerstone of the center's hiring strategy.
"The SMART Scholarship Program is vital to our recruitment pipeline and has been a sustaining program for hiring some of the brightest and best candidates for ERDC," Montgomery said.
Sustained investment in STEM outreach directly supports both the recruitment and long-term retention of talent. Montgomery noted that drawing local talent is an essential component of their strategy. Many students participate in outreach efforts held at ERDC each summer before becoming scholars.
"Over the past couple of years, more students participating in other ERDC student programs are learning about the SMART Scholarship and are applying and being selected," Montgomery said. “This year, half of the SMART awardees previously participated in other ERDC student programs.”
For many participants, the financial security and guaranteed employment offered by the program are life-changing. Dr. Cody Salter, a research mechanical engineer at the ERDC Information Technology Laboratory, credits the scholarship with shaping his future.
"The SMART Scholarship made it possible for me to continue my education when I otherwise couldn’t, introduced me to a research lab I never knew existed, and ultimately opened a door to a life I never thought was possible, one I’m deeply grateful for every day," Salter said.
The program also supports local retention and current employee advancement. Tyler Jackson, who recently graduated from Belhaven University, started as a freshman student trainee in computer science. Entering his fourth year at ERDC's Information Technology Laboratory, the program is funding his master's degree at Mississippi State University while he continues his career.
For out-of-state students, the scholarship offers a welcoming entry into highly competitive fields. Bethany Duncan, an applied mathematics graduate from Columbia University, wanted to conduct research with immediate applications rather than losing it inside academia.
"I landed on ERDC and got lucky enough to connect with a fellow Columbia alumnus already working in a branch that fit my interests," Duncan said. "I'm new to Mississippi and ERDC, but the transition has been incredibly welcoming."
The program offers scholarships to students who have demonstrated special aptitude for training and education in STEM fields through two primary pathways. The standard SMART Scholarship targets students currently enrolled at a college or university with previous college credit. Additionally, the Dellums Memorial SMART Scholarship caters to students with no previous college credit who intend to pursue a bachelor’s degree.
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