Are You Ready to Apply?

​BEFORE completing the application, did you:

  • Gathered required documents? (See descriptions below)    
  1. Personal Statement/Essay
  2. Letters of Recommendation
  3. Transcripts
  4. Resume
  5. Additional Information
  • Save all documents in a single PDF named using the applicant name, in the format:  “LASTNAME_FIRSTNAME_SWE-HA?”
  • Have a Google account?

​You can NOT save the application and come back later!

Scholarship Application Form

Required Documents

Personal Statement/Essay
This statement should explain why the applicant would like to be an engineer, what influences her to study engineering, and/or explain how she believes she will make a difference as an engineer. Please include information on any FIRST Robotics participation if applicable. (Length: 750-1000 words)

Resume
The resume should include, but not be limited to the following (if applicable): Education (High School, including your GPA), Honor Courses (AP classes, college courses), Job Experience, Clubs/Activities, Achievements (Awards/Honors), Club Memberships (Including leadership role), Projects, Volunteering/Community Service, Additional Skills, and Extracurricular Activities/Hobbies.

Letters of Recommendation
Letters of recommendation should cover items such as scholastic ability, general character, attitude, ambition, motivation, and leadership characteristics. Applicants must submit at least two letters of recommendation from a high school or college instructor, mentor, counselor, or employer, who is not a relative and has known the student during their academic studies. The letter must state the length of time the referee has known the applicant.

Additional Information (Optional) 
Special achievements not already covered, special circumstances, or any information that might be useful to us in considering your application. ​

Questions?  Contact us at scholarships@houstonswe.org ​​

Scholarship Descriptions

Please review the scholarships the SWE-Houston Area Section​ will be awarding this year below.  
​
Students will complete one application and will be considered for all scholarships for which they are eligible. Applicants will need to indicate what scholarships they are eligible and applying for on the application. The application process is entirely online including submission of recommendation letters and transcripts.

When applying to specific named scholarships, it is at the discretion of the scholarship committee that the student may forfeit the scholarship if there are changes in application status, change in school, and/or major.

The Comfort Ekpo Memorial Scholarship
This scholarship is donated in loving memory of the donor’s mother, Comfort Ekpo, whose life was cut short by breast cancer. Comfort was a woman of immense strength and grace who believed deeply in the power of progress and the potential of the next generation. In her honor, this scholarship seeks to support students who are driven to enter STEM fields—the very disciplines responsible for the medical breakthroughs and innovations that change the world. This award celebrates Comfort’s enduring spirit by empowering future scholars to use their talents to solve global challenges and create a lasting impact.
 
Qualifying candidates must meet the following criteria:

  • A high school senior starting as a freshman in Fall 2026 or an upperclassman.
  • Plans to enroll in full-time undergraduate study in an ABET-accredited engineering or engineering-related program.
  • Major in Electrical, Civil, Mechanical, Chemical, Biomedical Engineering or related STEM fields.
  • Preference for female students who have demonstrated a commitment to community service or healthcare-related advocacy.

ENERGY TRANSFER SCHOLARSHIP (TWO OFFERED)
Energy Transfer owns and operates one of the largest and most diversified portfolios of energy assets in the United States. Its core operations include complementary natural gas midstream, intrastate and interstate transportation and storage assets; crude oil, NGL and refined product transportation and terminalling assets and NGL fractionation. 
They have partnered with SWE-HA to offer the Energy Transfer Scholarships, especially for Houston-Area female students. Qualifying candidates must meet the following criteria:

  • The scholarship should be awarded to a female student, intending to study engineering at an ABET-accredited university.
  • The student must live or reside in the Greater Houston-Area.
  • Be a female high school senior (graduating class of 2026).
  • Preference to those studying chemical, mechanical or electrical engineering.
  • Have a minimum grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale (or equivalent)

Target Audience: Senior high school female students


THE BONGIORNO FAMILY HOUSTON ISD SCHOLARSHIPS (2 OFFERRED)
These scholarships are donated by a member of SWE-HA who got her K-12 education in HISD schools and would like to support the future women engineers coming behind her. The scholarships are for women in Houston Independent School District (HISD) who intend to study engineering.  The recipients will receive a monetary award towards a year of study at the accredited 4-year college or university. Through the donation of named scholarships, SWE-HA will award a female student this scholarship on the basis of merit to a qualified student in the Greater Houston Area who meets the following criteria: Graduating from a high school in HISD; Preference to those who are first in family to attend college or have demonstrated need. 

Target Audience: Senior high school female students entering their freshman year


CARMEN K LIBERTINO MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
Through the donation of a named scholarship, SWE-HA will award a female student who plans to attend an ABET-accredited 4-year college or university and pursue an
engineering or engineering-related discipline in the following academic year. This scholarship was donated to honor the donor’s grandmother.  Carmen Libertino came to the United States from Colombia on a scholarship to study Bacteriology in the late 1950s. She overcame obstacles to pursue a science education and this scholarship is to honor her legacy. The recipient(s) will receive a monetary award towards the first year of study at the accredited 4-year college or university.

Target Audience: Senior high school female students


FEMI OLOMOLA MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
This scholarship is donated in honor of the donor’s father, Femi Olomola.  Femi is of Nigerian descent, and faced the challenge of raising three daughters in a time and
culture where having a son was an expectation to carry on the family name and legacy. Despite cultural stereotypes and external pressure, Femi was determined to prioritize his daughters’ education. He successfully raised an Electrical Engineer, a Chemical Engineer, and an Architect. This scholarship celebrates Femi’s resilience and legacy in empowering his daughters to achieve their full potential. Criteria:

  •  A high school senior starting as a freshman in Fall 2026 or an upperclassman
  •  Plans to enroll in full-time undergraduate study in an ABET-accredited engineering or engineering-related program.
  •  Major in Electrical, Civil, Mechanical, or Chemical Engineering
  •  Minority with preference for African American (Black) female student

Target Audience:  Senior high school female students


F.I.R.S.T SWE SCHOLARSHIP
SWE-HA awards F.I.R.S.T. (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Scholarships to female high school seniors who have a high interest in robotics or automation and who have competed in at least one F.I.R.S.T. competition. Entries will be judged based on student merit, applicant statement, letters of recommendation, resume, and enrollment as a freshman in an ABET-accredited 4-year college or university to pursue an academic discipline in engineering or engineering-related majors. The recipient(s) will receive a monetary award towards the first year of study at the accredited 4-year college or university.

Target Audience: Senior high school female students


FIRST TIME IN COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP
The First Time in College Scholarship was created to support female senior high school students who are the first in their family to attend College/University and who will pursue a career in engineering or engineering-related disciplines. The recipient(s) will receive a monetary award towards the first year of study at the accredited 4-year college or university.  Entries will be judged based on the student applicant’s statement, letters of recommendation, resume, and enrollment in an ABET-accredited 4-year college or university to pursue an academic discipline in engineering or engineering-related majors.

Target Audience: Senior high school female student


THE YIP FAMILY SCHOLARSHIP
This scholarship was donated by an alumni of UT Austin with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering with a desire to support women who choose to enter this program at UT Austin. The recipient will receive a monetary award towards a year of study at the accredited 4-year college or university. Through the donation of a named scholarship, SWE-HA will award a female student this scholarship on the basis of merit to a qualified student in the Greater Houston Area who meets the following criteria:

  • A female student, enrolled and accepted to attend the University of Texas at Austin
  • Majoring in Mechanical Engineering at the Walker Department of Mechanical Engineering 

Target Audience: Senior high school female students entering their freshman year or Upperclass students entering their sophomore, junior, or senior year in the fall of 2026


THE MOSES FAMILY SCHOLARSHIP
This scholarship was donated by an alumni of Louisiana State University with a Bachelor of Science in Petroleum Engineering with a desire to support women who
choose to study Petroleum Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or other Energy Engineering disciplines. The recipient will receive a monetary award for one year of
study at an accredited 4-year college or university. Through the donation of a named scholarship, SWE-HA will award a female student this scholarship on the basis of merit to a qualified student originally from the Greater Houston Area who meets the following criteria: Majoring in Petroleum Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or other Energy Engineering disciplines

Target Audience: Senior high school female students or upper class students


IVY BLAKE MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
Through the donation of a named scholarship, SWE-HA will award a female student who meets the following criteria: 

  •  The scholarship should be awarded to an African American (or Black) female student, attending an ABET-accredited university.
  •  The student should pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Science, Mathematics, or Engineering.
  •  The student should be a high school senior or junior college transfer student.

Target Audience: African American (or Black) senior high school or junior college transfer female students


MARIE P. LAPLANTE STEAM SCHOLARSHIP
This scholarship celebrates and recognizes creativity and its expression through STEM and the arts. Through the donation of a named scholarship, SWE-HA will award this scholarship on the basis of merit to a qualified female student in the Greater Houston area who meets the following criteria:

  •  The scholarship should be awarded to a female student, intending to study engineering at an ABET-accredited university.
  •  The student should have a history of being engaged in the arts – dance and/or music.
  •  The selected student can be a high school senior or college student entering their sophomore, junior, or senior year.

Target Audience: Female Senior high school students or college student entering their sophomore, junior or senior year. 


SWE-HA SCHOLARSHIP
SWE-HA awards Freshman/Sophomore Scholarships to female students who plan to attend an ABET-accredited 4-year college or university and pursue an engineering or engineering-related discipline in the following academic year. Entries will be judged based on student merit, applicant statement, letters of recommendation, resume, and enrollment in an academic discipline in engineering or engineering-related majors. The recipient(s) will receive a monetary award towards the first year of study at the accredited 4-year college or university. Full or part-time student is acceptable, as long as students are pursuing a degree at a four year institution in an engineering school.​


Target Audience: Senior high school female students and female students transferring from a community college to an ABET-accredited 4-year program


SWE-HA PAST PRESIDENT SCHOLARSHIP
SWE-HA awards an upper-class scholarship through donations from SWE-HA past presidents to a female student who is enrolled in an ABET-accredited 4-year college or
university and pursuing an engineering or engineering-related discipline. Entries will be judged based on student merit, Applicant Statement, Letters of Reference, Resume,
and enrollment in an academic discipline in engineering or engineering-related majors. The recipient(s) will receive a monetary award towards the following year of study at the
accredited 4-year college or university. Full or part-time student is acceptable, as long as students are pursuing a degree at a four-year institution in an engineering school.

Target Audience: Preference to students who will be entering their Junior year.  Students who will be entering their sophomore and senior years are also welcome to apply.


CYNTHIA OLIVER COLEMAN P.E. ENGINEERING SCHOLARSHIP
This scholarship was donated by an alumna of the University of Houston with a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering who desires to support Black (or African
American) females who are currently studying Engineering at the University of Houston.   The recipient will receive a monetary award for a year of study.  Through the
donation of a named scholarship, SWE-HA will award a female student this scholarship on the basis of merit (3.0 out of 4.0 GPA or greater) to a qualified student in the Greater
Houston Area who meets the following preferred criteria:

  • Black (or African American) female
  • A female Upper-class student attending the University of Houston (starting the following fall as a Sophomore, Junior or Senior)
  • Majoring in one of the following engineering disciplines: Chemical, Petroleum, Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, Industrial, Biomedical


LASHAWNA LYNN CRISWELL MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
The recipient(s) will receive a monetary award towards the first year of study at the accredited 4-year college or university with the following preferred criteria: Through the
donation of a named scholarship, SWE-HA will award the Lashawna Lynn Criswell Memorial Scholarship to an African American female and first-generation university
student who plans to attend an ABET-accredited 4-year college or university (preferably a historically black college or university (HBCU)) and study Architectural, Electrical or
Computer Engineering.  Ms. LaShawna Lynn Criswell was a 2003 graduate of Tennessee State University in Nashville, TN, where she earned a B.S. degree in
architectural engineering. LaShawna enjoyed living her life to the fullest and the addition of her daughter made life worth living even more. She was a member of Alpha Kappa
Alpha Sorority, Inc., and taking after her dad, LaShawna had an infectious personality that would radiate positive energy in any room. A mother, a daughter, a sister, an auntie,
and a friend, she will forever live on in our minds and our hearts. We celebrate her life and the 33 years she spent bringing joy to the lives of those who knew her.   
The recipient(s) will receive a monetary award towards the first year of study at the accredited 4-year college or university with the following preferred criteria:

  •  African American Student
  •  First Generation University Student
  •  Majoring in Architectural, Electrical or Computer Engineering
  •  Attending a Historically Black College and University (HBCU)


THE RAMON-MIRANDA SCHOLARSHIP
This scholarship was donated by an alumni of Rice University with a Bachelor’s of Science in Chemical Engineering with a desire to support first generation Latina/Hispanic female students studying in STEM fields at Rice University. Through the donation of a named scholarship, SWE-HA will award a female student this scholarship on the basis of merit to a qualified student in the Greater Houston Area who meets the following criteria:  

  • Latina/Hispanic Female Student
  • First Generation University Student
  • Majoring in Science, Technology, Mathematics, or Engineering
  • Attending Rice University

Target Audience: A senior high school female student entering the freshman year or upper-class students entering their sophomore junior or senior year in Fall 2026.


THE HAZEL REE LIVINGS MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
This scholarship was donated by an alumni of University of Louisiana at Lafayette and honors her grandmother who played a vital role in her life and upbringing. The donor has a desire to support Black (or African American) females high school students with a desire to study engineering at any ABET accredited school with a preference for University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Through the donation of a named scholarship, SWE-HA will award a female student this scholarship on the basis of merit to a qualified student in the Greater Houston Area who meets the following criteria:  

  • Black / African American Female Student
  • Majoring in Science, Technology, Mathematics, or Engineering
  • Plans to attend an ABET accreditied university with a preference for University of Louisiana, Lafayette

Target Audience: A senior high school female student entering the freshman Fall 2026.

THE WONG FAMILY SCHOLARSHIP
This scholarship is generously donated by the Wong Family. Mr. Wong is an alumnus of The University of Texas at Austin, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Civil
Engineering, and his wife is an alumna of the University of Houston with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering. Together, they share a strong commitment to
supporting women pursuing engineering degrees at either institution. The selected recipient will receive a monetary award to be applied toward one year of
study. Through this named scholarship, SWE-HA will award one female student from the Greater Houston Area based on merit. Applicants must meet the following criteria:

  • A female student, enrolled and accepted to attend the University of Texas at Austin
  • Majoring in Civil Engineering 

Target Audience: Senior high school female students entering their freshman year or upper class students entering their sophomore, junior, or senior year in the fall of 2026

Questions?  Contact us at scholarships@houstonswe.org ​