Gigon ’22 awarded prestigious SMART Scholarship
Ashley Gigon, a 3+2 pre-engineering student at Providence College, has been awarded the Department of Defense Science, Mathematics, and Research for Transformation (SMART) Scholarship. This award provides students with full tuition for up to five years, summer internships, a stipend and full-time employment with the Department of Defense after graduation.
This unique opportunity offers students hands-on experience at one of more than 200 of the nation’s most innovative laboratories across the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force and Department of Defense. During their summer internships, SMART scholars work directly with an experienced mentor.
The Department of Defense is the largest employer of scientists and engineers in the nation with nearly 300,000 STEM professionals. For more than a decade, the program has trained a highly skilled STEM workforce that competes with the evolving trends of industry to support the next generation of science and technology for our nation.
Gigon is currently pursuing a mechanical engineering degree through the 3+2 combined plan engineering program with Columbia University. She also is minoring in business and innovation and is a sprinter on the Division 1 women’s track team. The SMART scholarship will cover expenses at Columbia, provide a summer internship in 2022 at the Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) in Newport, RI, and provide employment at NUWC after graduation.
